A New Hope
by RedWolf210
Summary: Wishing for true peace between Vikings and dragons, the gods have hidden the last female Night Fury in plain sight. Beata is given the appearance of a human and charged with ensuring a brighter future for all. As she struggles to find her true self and sort out this vague destiny, the dragon-child finds herself on an island where her hopes may already have been realized.
1. The Journey Begins

**Hello everyone!**

**It's been so long since I've posted anything to this site, and I apologize for that. To any readers who have looked at my works before, I'll try to get some of those stories back on track. Been having issues with focusing on editing and maintaining the chapter files on the editing page. They kept getting deleted and I gave up on them for a while, but I can try again if that'd make anyone happy.**

**_Disclaimer_: I do NOT own any character from the How to Train Your Dragon franchise (they belong to Dreamworks). However, I do own Beata/Vona, the Elds and the rest of Stein (list may grow, fyi); I also own the dragons Archer, the "Grand Queen" and Flame Runner.**

**And now, to the actual story! (Sorry for keep you this long from the chapter. I promise not to do this often.)**

**Enjoy! And comments are certainly welcome :)**

* * *

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

"_So small and frail in such a form…" crooned a deep, motherly voice. "Still, the gods have chosen you, my dear Vona. Be strong, seek out the answer to our survival. Find the hope that you were named for, the peace between man and beast." A roar rang in the darkness, and thousands of others joined in, echoing inside her mind. Fire engulfed her vision, making her start and..._

Beata gasped awake and stared at the wooden ceiling of her cottage. Her ice blue eyes blinked at the lingering flashes of the dream, the one that had plagued her since early childhood. Her brow was dampened with sweat, and her body was shaking. In her fifteen years, Beata had not been able to figure out what her dream had meant. She remembered asking the village elder, Mrs. Blomgren, only to have her say that it was her "destiny". The girl did not have a clue what fire and hope had to do with her, and eventually she had accepted the dreams as a norm. Still, she wished that the roars weren't so loud.

Shuddering at the phantom sounds, Beata got out of bed and dressed into her favorite earthen brown pants of soft hide, forest green shirt made from the warmest sheep's wool, and black leather armor that protected her thighs, shins and torso. She tied her shoulder length hair the color of raven's wings in a high tail, braided it and completed the ensemble with a leather thong, securing her hair from blocking her vision. She took up her weapons belt and frowned thoughtfully at her bow and arrow as she fastened the array of knives and hatchets to her waist. Surrendering to her instincts, Beata grabbed her quiver of ten arrows and slung them over her right shoulder. Next came the bow, placed crosswise, letting the bowstring rest on her front, right shoulder to left hip. Satisfied, the young viking exited her room, pulling on her gloves from her belt while she headed down the stairs to the main room of the house.

No one was awake yet, being an hour from dawn. The fire was dying in its hearth, its coals glowing a deep red. Beata took an armful of logs and tossed them onto the coals before coaxing the flames to life. As the light returned to the room, the youth located some bread and dried venison for breakfast. She sat by the fire, absorbing what warmth she could while she ate. Her blue eyes stared into the flames, mesmerized by how they danced and ate their own morning meal. When the crumbs were all that was left of her food, Beata sighed, took a swig of water from the barrel, filled up her water pouch and left the home of Chief Einar, leader of the Stein Tribe.

All the villagers were still sleeping, something that the girl was thankful for. She liked to avoid all the stares she was given and the whispers she caused among the people. In spite of her name, Beata was an outcast, having no birth parents and being raised by the Elder until she died. She was then passed to Einar, who then looked after her for ten years alongside his own sons. Only with those people did she feel remotely loved, even if the eldest brother didn't like her much. Those around her age wanted nothing to do with her. They heard what their parents said about her being a result of dark magic. Her appearance was just as ominous as how she was found, abandoned with a demon. With the eyes the color of unstoppable glaciers and the hair of the endless night, she was unlike any person seen in the tribe, so the villagers automatically feared it. Humans feared change, even Vikings.

Beata soon arrived at her favorite hill, part of the cliffs where Stein's land ended and the ocean began. There she sat, braced against the cold wind, to watch the sunrise. The sky filled with color for several minutes before transitioning to the grey-blue of dawn. The fog was not as thick as usual, and Beata took it as a good sign for travel. Shouts of greetings were faint with the wind; the girl did not mind them at all.

No one was looking for her. She was alone, but that was nothing new, really. Ten years of it and it becomes a habit to seek one's own company.

The sun was warm to the touch, soothing and filled with life. The youth closed her eyes and savored its caresses, breathing in the salty air with contentment. Once the star was higher in the sky, Beata stood and headed to her training grounds. There she practiced her knife throwing and archery.

Most Vikings like to go in for the kill, especially when the opponent was a dragon; Beata, however, knew better. Sure, dragons could shoot acid, fire, or lava at a Viking, but if one focused and had the greater range, it was safest to attack from afar. The dragons did it, so why couldn't she? Most of the villagers thought her mad to go after dragons with her bow and arrow, but they were always thankful for her marksmanship when it came to hunting deer and boar. Beata let them say what they wished. It wouldn't stop her from training. She felt more comfortable with firing things, but that did not mean that she couldn't handle herself in close combat. She sparred with her foster brothers, Gunnar and Birger Eld, sons of Chief Einar. They were usually good practice for her strength, something that surprised the eldest, Gunnar - Beata was a head shorter than him at best, but she was able to toss him around when she wished him harm. After several of such instances, the heir to the Stein Tribe learned to respect her abilities.

Which was why she was not surprised when he tracked her down in the early afternoon to her practice area. He was only two years older, but he was taller than most vikings his age. His build was solid, traditional of a Viking warrior. There wasn't much fat on him, which only warned challengers of his strength. Medium brown hair and deep brown eyes were common with the light complexion in Stein, but other girls drooled when he walked by. Beata did not care, she knew that she could toss him if she liked. He ran more off of instinct than strategy.

Gunnar stood at a respectful distance from her cooking fire, where she had roasted a rabbit and was burning the bones when he arrived. His voice was deep, but the girl could tell it had a ways to go before settling into a permanent pitch. "Beata," he said, "would ya like tuh help with the hunt for tonight's dinner? We'll need extra dried meat before the storms come in."

"Sure, how many will be in the party?" the girl asked.

"Just us three, ya know that by now." She always asked that question, and he would always give the same answer. Gunnar didn't know if she wanted him to say otherwise, but they were both aware that no one wanted to be near her. True, she was a skilled shot, but her differences made people think her unlucky, especially when she was focused on them. Though he never said so, the eldest son would never fail to feel a shiver go down his spine whenever she looked at him as intensely as she did now. Her cool blue eyes held a power that he wasn't sure of and never wanted to test. After a moment of silence, his foster-sister smiled, showing a warm side that the village never tried to see.

"Of course, just making sure." Beata stood from her sitting log and kicked dirt over the fire. Once the coals died out, she took up her bow and counted her arrows. All were accounted for. "Is Birger meeting us at the trail?"

Her foster-brother nodded while withholding a sigh of exasperation. "And he'll be frettin' over the loss of daylight. Let's go." He let her take the lead to make sure that she didn't lag behind. As she grinned and ran through the forest, light as ever, he shook his head. Hunting was a constant job, and she knew that she was Stein's leading huntress. Sometimes he wondered if she really was forgetting their routine.

"Well, brother, aren't ya gonna hurry?" she called. Gunnar sighed and picked up his pace, hoping that his sister would have the energy for the hunt.

* * *

Beata sat on one of the lower branches of a spruce tree, blue eyes watching the large boar grazing placidly beneath her. She noted Birger's position to the left of the creature, where the wind would not carry his scent. Gunnar was nowhere in sight, which was good. The archer relaxed herself and took a moment to breathe calmly, making sure that she was ready for the rush of the hunt. When she felt herself collected and prepared for the spring, Beata whistled three short notes like the common bird in the area. The boar paid no heed. Birger hunched lower, committing himself to the plan. In his own time, the young viking stood from his hiding place in the berry brush and tossed two stones, both solidly striking the boar's snout. The pig snorted in surprise and faced Birger, a seemingly unimpressive boy of fifteen. With lean muscles, he was a stick compared to his older brother. Dirty blonde hair framed intelligent grey-green eyes. The boy's calm face contorted into a challenging snarl, and their quarry gave an angry squeal. It centered its mass, kicking the dirt at his feet with a stiff leg, while focusing on the youngest of Einar's sons . After a long ten seconds of staring, Birger threw another rock at the boar - it bounced off the creature's skull, between the eyes - and ran through the forest. The pig squealed in fury and gave chase, provoked to a blind rage as Birger found bits of stone and branches to attack him with, shouting all the while.

Beata followed the racket, jumping from limb to limb along the trail of trees she had scouted prior to the hunt. While the viking and boar were running on the ground, the girl seemed to glide through the trees and came to the last pine with moments to spare. She settled in her platform that she had put together, took up her bow and knocked an arrow. Silently pulling the string to her cheek, Beata waited for her foster-brother and their dinner.

Birger did not disappoint. The boar was still after him, hot on his trail. Its tusks were coming a little too close for the boy's comfort. He knew that his sister would help him, but she only do so much with him so near the target. His fear seemed to fuel the pig's fire, for the boar lowered its head and gained speed. Birger yelped and made a mad dash for the pine to Beata's right; with the gap bought by his sudden burst of energy, the viking girl released the arrow. It bore into the pig's left eye, and it shrieked in pain and fear. When it turned its injured eye away from the scurrying Birger, Beata fired another arrow into the right eye. Again, the boar cried out and shook its head vigorously, maddened with pain. As it struggled with the arrows in its skull, Birger scaled up a handsome oak; Gunnar instantly leapt down from his tree, landing and straddling the creature's back. The two wrestled for a frightening eight seconds before a knife flashed and slit the boar's throat. Still the pig fought to free itself from the eldest son's grip, but the struggle began to wane. Eventually it sank onto the leaf-littered forest floor, Gunnar riding him down.

Silence reigned in the forest. Deciding that the beast was indeed dead, Gunnar dismounted the boar and dusted himself off nonchalantly. "Well," he said into the forest, " looks like enough meat for a few weeks, maybe a month. Ya two can come down now." He glanced up at the trees, where his siblings had watched him kill a boar that weighed nearly seventy kilograms with only a knife. Seeing the blood on his hands and the grass made Beata shudder the slightest, reminded how life was fragile and the strength of her eldest brother.

After a moment to collect herself and a second urging from Gunnar, she nodded, grabbed the coiled rope knotted to one of the secure branches and let it fall to the earth. She then strapped on her bow, took the rope in two gloved hands and slid down, absorbing the landing with a well-practiced crouch. Birger did the same with the rope she had installed into his climbing tree. While the brothers set to tying the boar for easier transport, Beata took a large, heavy stone and coiled the rope around it. With a rehearsed heave, the girl launched the stone with its rope to the top of the platform, a good two meters up the tree. She did the same to Birger's rope, hefting the rock with ease despite her seemingly dainty build. The routine made her feel better about her skills, letting her dust her hands off with a smile on her ace. As she turned to speak to her brothers, a sound caught her attention. The chief's sons heard the noise as well, but before they could ask, Beata tackled them to the ground, shouting, "DOWN!"

A piercing cry rang through the trees, and when the viking trio looked up, a Deadly Nadder was standing over their kill. The dragon was the common blue variety, head tilted like a bird, amber slitted eye scrutinizing them. It squawked again, baring teeth. "_Mine_!" came a hissing voice. "_Mine_!"

Beata gaped at the creature, startled by its voice. She had never been so close to a dragon, and this one could talk?! It awed her to think of them as intelligent creatures o speech. Before she could ask Birger if he heard it, Gunnar locked his arms around his siblings and rolled with them away from the boar. His job was to protect his family and his people, so he followed his teachings and instincts. He released Birger and Beata, who used the momentum to roll onto their feet and face the dragon. The Nadder hadn't moved, watching them from its place on the dead boar.

"Be gone, devil!" roared Gunnar. "If ya want the kill, take it! Leave now, before I add ya tuh the menu!"

The creature hissed at his tone. "_So loud_! _More food for the Queen_!" She - Beata was certain that the dragon was a female - unfurled her wings, balancing herself to attack. Before she could think about it, Beata dashed in the line of fire as Gunnar readied his axe, the dragon her tail of spines.

"Stop!" the viking girl pleaded, snatching his wrist and ignoring the glare that she received. "Gunnar, she only wants the boar. If you attack, she'll kill you!" The idea of the strength the dragon had over the three of them worried her. Surely her brother saw this?

"I won't let her," the heir growled, which she knew was his way of assuring her. Finding it hopeless to deter him and ever the strange viking who chose to use logic, she thought frantically of a way to avoid the vicious battle that would ensue.

"Let me handle this," she said. When he tried to deny her the chance to explain, she pointedly interrupted him. "I will try to make her go away. If she does not by the time I reach those blackberry bushes, then you can attack while I'm distracting her. Birger can point out any weak spots as I make the dragon follow me."

Gunnar's brown eyes glared at her momentarily. Finally, he snarled quietly before looking away, focusing on the dragon. "Fine. The berry bushes, Beata, no further."

She nodded slowly, sighing inwardly in relief, and held a hand out to the Deadly Nadder. "We are not food," she said to the dragon, walking in a slow circle away from her brothers and to the right. When she cocked her head at the viking, sniffing the air in her direction, Beata continued, "The boar is all we have, so take it. Go to your queen!"

The Nadder shook its head. Beata kept walking, drawing her attention. "_No more food_?" the creature piped. "_The Queen needs food. She is sick_."

"Take the meat and leave!" Beata put more force behind the words and gave a two-handed shove to the air for emphasis, hoping that it wouldn't anger her. The dragon squawked in surprise more than fury. "Return to your queen if she is ill. Hunt more later!"

"_Dragon_? _Viking_?" The beast looked confused, somehow. Seeing this as an opportunity, Gunnar and Birger roared and charged the Nadder. Gunnar made it to the dragoness first, swinging his battle axe with strong arms and back. The blue reptile jumped to the side, forcing Birger to duck his brother's blade while the latter spun with the momentum he needed to hurt the creature. The Nadder flicked her tail at the two vikings, and Beata cried out a futile warning, stopping half a meter from the blackberries to step toward her siblings. Of the eight spikes launched at the brothers, only five found targets. Two pierced Gunnar's arm; a third embedded itself into the back of his thigh; Birger received one in the shoulder and a second grazed his cheek. Both fell to the ground, clutching at their injuries.

"No!" Watching them collapse set a fire in her chest. "Stop!" Beata snarled at the beast, who was preparing herself for a charge. Amber eyes, blazing in fury, found her cold blue gaze. The girl stared down the creature, defiance and a threat screaming through her posture. She watched as the dragoness glared at her and suddenly turn her head toward the sea, seeming to listen to something.

Her slitted eyes suddenly became round. "_Vona_," it hissed, the sound remarkably gentle despite how much it made the youth shiver. She looked to the girl again, sadness and humility in those once burning eyes. "_Hope for life, our savior, what must I do_?"

Did the creature just speak the name from her dreams? How was that possible? Her turn to be confused, Beata flicked her gaze from her fallen brothers to the attacker. The blue dragon had bowed before her, awaiting orders. Carefully, the viking took a stern step toward the reptile and said, "Return to your home. Take the boar if you wish, but leave in peace." She watched the Nadder bob her head and take flight, carrying the sixty-eight kilo boar in her talons.

Beata watched the dragon go, wondering absently what it was like to fly. If she could have the skies like a dragon did, hunting would be so much easier. All that power, all that freedom…

The sound of pain broke her from her reverie. Gunnar had pulled out the spine that was behind his leg, desperate to keep the projectile from injecting all of its venom into his system. Thankfully the leather he and Birger wore was thick - they did not go boar hunting without a minimum of four layers of tough leather - and kept the bone needles from penetrating more than five centimeters. It had missed major arteries, but blood welled from the puncture anyway.

"Idiot," Beata scolded. "You're going to bleed out." She hurried over to her eldest foster-brother, tearing her left long sleeve for a makeshift bandage. Before she had taken six steps, Gunnar cried out and made a futile attempt to back away.

"Don't come any closer!" he barked, panicked. Still trying to process what had just occurred, he wanted nothing to do with the girl. He noticed as Beata froze in her tracks and studied the heir to the Stein Tribe. His brown eyes were shocked, frightened. "Stay away!" he pleaded.

The blood came freely from the wound now, and Beata held her hands out in a placating gesture. She didn't know why he was so shaken, but seeing him so out of character hurt her. He needed to relax. "Gunnar, calm down," she ordered softly. "You're going to pass out if you don't put pressure on that injury. Let me help you." Slowly, she took a step toward him.

"Stay back!" The girl kept going, her gaze intent and chilling, her small yet threatening hand outstretched to him. "Stop, stop! Freak!" Gunnar snarled and threw his axe at his foster-sister. Beata ducked and rolled to the right, hearing the heavy axe embed itself into the old pine where her shooting platform was with a weighty thunk. Her blue eyes flickered to Gunnar, wide and startled.

"Gunnar? What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "Birger, what…?" When she looked to her other brother, his grey-green eyes were confused and frightened. He, too, could not figure out what had happened. He knew that his sister just saved their lives, but he couldn't help but feel horrified at what he had heard. The expression crushed the pieces of the heart that Gunnar's words had shattered. Both of them were so afraid of her, but why?

There was a sudden chorus of shouts and hollers from the northern side of the kill zone. A group of men exploded from the brushes, armed to the teeth and wearing the traditional helmets of Vikings. The warrior at the front of the mob was Chief Einar, whom Birger had gotten his eyes from. The father's had more steel, however, and scanned the area with quick precision. In the span of several seconds he counted his children, their weapons strewn about, and the blood that matted the dirt. His large muscular frame - something that Gunnar inherited - did not relax at the sight before him.

"What happened?" he asked in a calm, if rough, voice. He noted the injuries and cursed. "Nadders, those bastards. Quickly, let's get 'em tuh safety." The men, six in total, set to checking the teens for injuries. They bandaged Gunnar's leg and hoisted him up onto someone's cloak, a makeshift stretcher. The spikes in his arms were left in the flesh to keep him from losing more blood, but they rushed him off before the venom in the barbs could inflict serious harm. Birger removed the spine in his shoulder and managed to stand on his own, keeping pressure on his wound. Despite his insistence that he was fine, someone hovered by his side as they walked in case he fell. All the while, Einar watched with a cool gaze. He waited for the men to vanish behind the trees before turning to check on his adopted daughter, who had not moved from her place on the ground.

"Sir," Beata said as she stood, saluted with a fist over her heart and bowed shortly. The man had taken her in, raised her as his own, and she was grateful for it. She respected his strength and sense of honor, so she always did her best to show it. Seeing the look on his face, she gave a report. "We were hunting boar, and she came at the kill."

"She?" the chief repeated.

"The dragon, sir. She wanted the meat for their queen, and while I tried to make her go away, Gunnar and Birger attacked her. She became frightened and flung spines at them." Her eyes searched the strong face of her chief, hoping that he was not angry with her, even though he had a right to do so. She allowed his sons to be attacked; the fact that the Nadder was too quick didn't matter to her. She tensed subtly, ready for a lecture or shouting, but instead she saw his eyes soften along with his voice.

"Are ya hurt?" The question surprised Beata, but she immediately shook her head, both to give assurance and to dispel any thought of him caring so deeply.

"Not bleeding, in any case." She looked to the blood all about the forest earth. "I tried to stop her from attacking us, but by the time I got her to leave, they were hurt." The Valkyrie fell to her knee and bowed her head. "Forgive me, Einar, sir, for not fighting as a Viking should."

The chief's green eyes studied the girl for a moment. He had cared for her since she was five years old, and somewhere along the way she had begun to see it as her duty to be a faithful warrior, almost a servant, to him and his family. There were moments where this role was abandoned for the one of a loving daughter and sister, but whenever he looked at her, she would become serious and distance herself from him. Einar didn't blame her, really. It wasn't her fault that she saw herself as an outcast, fit to be in the house of the chief only because she had to serve his family. That was what the people said, what their children said. It had gotten to her, so any act of kindness he showed her was always taken as a courtesy. Einar hated himself for not teaching her sooner about why he took her in.

Figuring that brisk business was what she expected, he played the part. "Get up," he ordered. "Grab yer weapons; we need tuh get back tuh the village and see how yer brothers are doing." He watched as Beata snatched up the arrows that had been removed from the boar's eyes by Gunnar prior to the Deadly Nadder's arrival. Einar himself walked to the pine and pulled out the battle axe with a quick tug born of his frustration with his villagers. Knowing that he had to set things straight with them and Beata, he put on a scowl and turned for the trail plowed by the burly viking party. The youth took the lead, and the chief followed alongside his daughter, marching to Stein in relative silence.

* * *

During the trip, Beata kept glancing at her foster father, wondering how furious he was with her. Always wanting to prove to him that she was worth keeping, the girl had worked hard in her training. Her excellent marksmanship was only rival to Frida Eld, her foster mother. Beata trained every day and sparred her brothers often, earning her share of scars and bruises. Now, she had no injuries to prove that she tried her best to prevent the attack. Worry gnawed at her, for she couldn't tell if Einar believed her story, and the glower on his face didn't bode well. Her decision to work out a more peaceful solution and its terrible failure weighed heavily on her shoulders. Her brothers were hurt for acting in what they thought was right: see a dragon, kill on sight. Gunnar had been kind enough to attempt scaring the Nadder off before resorting to beheading the creature, something he only did when Beata was watching.

Everyone in Stein knew of her fascination with dragons. They whispered about it and the day she was found. A dragon, a Monstrous Nightmare, had been coiled around her when Einar and the men of the village located the source of the fire the dragon had made. Thinking that the beast had been trying to eat her, Einar and the men sought to scare him away from the newborn Beata. A spear to the flank sent the Nightmare to the sky, leaving the helpless infant behind. Elder Blomgren had told Beata that the dragon was protecting her until the men arrived, that she was blessed by the gods for something great. Beata wasn't so sure.

Still, her love and respect for dragons persisted. She would watch them fly the ocean, into the clouds to wherever they rest. The village did not suffer from intensive dragon raids, but once Beata had been introduced to Stein's life, the attacks had become even less frequent. The girl had to travel far, close to the borders of the land and high in the trees to glimpse the elusive dragons. She always looked beyond the ocean, feeling like it was the right thing to do every morning. Something had felt like it was calling to her, and as Beata and Einar arrived at the edge of the homes in Stein, the girl looked to the water and felt…

Nothing.

There was the natural curiosity of wondering what was out there, but the pull was gone. It made her shudder at its absence. A part of her seemed to be missing, leaving a cold place in her soul. The loss of whatever called to her also brought a sudden sadness into her heart. Tears stung her eyes as she dwelled on the feeling, but her thoughts were interrupted by the shouts of the villagers.

The men and women of Stein rushed to their chief, calling and trying to speak over one another. All of them halted ten meters before the pair, their many eyes staring at Einar, frightened. "Is it true?!" asked a woman. "The dragons are attacking us again?"

"It was only one dragon, and it took what it wanted and left," replied the chief. "There is nothing tuh worry about if we stay close tuh home. The forest is dangerous like always. Make sure tuh not go alone on the south side of the woods." Before the people could demand another answer, Einar asked, "Where are my sons?"

"In yer home," supplied an older man. "Frida and Ana are tendin' tuh them." Einar nodded at the mention of his wife and neighbor.

"My chief," spoke another, "Gunnar told us what 'appened."

Einar felt himself tense. He looked sharply at the man and prompted. "Did he?"

"Aye, and he said that she," the man spat the word contemptuously while pointing at Beata, "was controlling da beast who attacked him an' Birger!"

The people who had not heard the news gasped in horror. Realization came across their many faces as they saw their fears come to life. The vikings started to shout accusations,varying from jealousy to possession by dark magic. Their scorn, fear, and hate flooded from their voices, tainting the air and making Beata cringe. She knew that she was only tolerated by the whim of Einar, but feeling the strength of their resentment made her feel even more alone. No one standing before her had a look of understanding, of kindness. All she saw was judgment and disgust.

Suddenly thrown into the old, deep pain of her childhood, she took a step back, dropping her arrows prior to automatically seeking shelter in the fur cloak of her foster-father. Einar flinched at his little Valkyrie's loss of confidence in the face of her darkest fears. This was what he had hoped to avoid, but his heir unwittingly set their people against the only person who Blomgren had said would save them. He glared at the men and women before looking down at his daughter, who had her face buried in the bearskin cloak. He did not want to hurt her, but he had to ask.

"Beata," he said softly, "is that what happened?"

The girl unmasked her face and gulped some cold air before looking up at Einar's grey-green eyes. They were not angry, only sad and concerned. At first she wanted to cry, but she feared that showing weakness would anger the chief. Instead, she took another breath and answered, "I was talking to the dragon, convincing her that Gunnar and Birger were not food. She would have left, I'm sure, but Gunnar charged her. I told him not to until I was at the blackberry bush, but he didn't listen."

"So ya told the Nadder to attack 'im!" snarled the man from before. "Gunnar said that you were growling, spitting and roaring like a dragon. Ya ordered it to hurt Einar's sons!"

"I didn't!" Beata cried, desperate. "I was telling her not to hurt us, to take the boar we killed and go away! She was listening to me, but then she became scared and reacted."

"Did ya speak like a dragon?" asked Einar. Had it happened already? Was her secret exposed? Worry turned his stomach worse than any morbid thing he had seen in all his years of war. He prayed that his sons hadn't seen her for what she was, not so soon.

The intensity of his eyes frightened her; the girl hurried to speak. "I don't know! I thought I was speaking fine, but if I was…" She remembered the fear in her brothers' eyes. The memory hurt her, and she averted her gaze to the ground. "I understood her, the dragon. She couldn't tell if I was a viking or a...dragon."

"I knew it!" howled a woman. "She's a monster, a witch! An' we let her live in our village when a dragon was at her beck 'n call!"

Horrified cries exploded from the crowd. "She's a danger tuh all of us!" shouted a man.

"Some blessing," spat another.

"She'll get us killed!" lamented a woman.

"She needs tuh go!"

"Aye!" cried the mass.

Einar glared at the mob with cold, furious eyes. His hopes for his child to be accepted were lost, and now her hopes of finding a place to belong had been shattered. He looked down to Beata, only to find her missing. He spun around, wildly searching for the girl, his Valkyrie. She was nowhere to be found. Only the stirring of ferns gave sign to where to went. The chief stared despairingly at the forest as the vikings of Stein shouted a good riddance to her.

"Beata…" Einar said softly. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

The moon was full and rising in the sky when Beata decided to return to Stein. She was reluctant to do so, remembering the hate-filled glares of the tribe. Still, she needed her bag of survival tools. The flint and whetstone were important above all else, but she would also need her cloak, a change of clothes, and rope. She already had her weapons, all stashed in her shooting tree save for a dagger and short knife, keeping them in her bodice and her boot, respectfully. On silent feet she walked through the village, sticking to the shadows and keeping still when voices came from the houses. Ignoring their self-satisfaction in ridding their home of the cursed dragon-child, Beata went up the hill to Einar's house. She stalked to the back of the house and listened by the door, checking for anyone who was still awake. Finding it silent but for the crackling of the fireplace, Beata opened the door and stepped inside.

After tiptoeing upstairs and entering her room, the youth swiped her satchel from the bed frame and checked its contents, adding the supplies that she needed. With her sewing kit and spare clothes in the bag, she tied the mouth shut, tossed it over her shoulder and made her way downstairs. As she walked from the stairs to the back door, movement caught the corner of her eye. Instinctively, Beata flicked out her dagger from her bodice and held it at the ready, blue eyes glaring at the hulking shadow that had been behind her. Her fire faltered when she saw the soft look in Einar's eyes.

"Chief…" Words tried to spill out of her, struggling to be said first. She wanted so much to explain herself, to assure him that what she was doing was the right thing. "I'm sorry, sir, but...I'm not what they say I am. They won't believe me, though, so I need to leave. Please, don't try to change my mind because I won't and-"

Arms suddenly embraced her. It took her a moment to realize that Einar was hugging her. Her cheek was pressed against his chest, where she listened to the man's strong heart beating for several moments before he spoke. "I wouldn't stop ya, Beata," he murmured, the sound loud enough through his chest. If she didn't know any better, should would have thought the rattling breath he took was due to a battle with tears. She chose to ignore it and focused on his words. "It is no longer safe here, and I know that you are destined for greater, better things. Birger told me what he saw today. He thinks that ya meant no harm, but he is scared about what happened. He told me tuh wish ya luck for 'im."

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes. She never knew how deeply the chief cared until he embraced her. The feelings were clear: he was worried and didn't want to let her go, but he knew he had to. Did he always feel like that, all those years? Were those kind words and praises really as heartfelt as this moment? She wouldn't ever know, now that she had to leave while she was still unnoticed. Beata hugged him back just as tightly.

"Thank you...dad," she whispered.

The word seemed to knock the wind out of him. Einar bowed his head and nodded. "Anything for my little girl." Both seemed to take a deep breath, steeling themselves against the rush of melancholy and pain that was almost completely foreign to a viking. The two met gazes, and Einar nodded again. "Best ya get going, then."

"Yes, sir." Beata smiled and turned, tightening the cloak around her shoulders. A hand caught her shoulder; she turned to look at moist green-grey eyes.

"Take a boat, sail south until ya pass the first island and head east. Eleanor told me to tell ya those directions when ya chose to leave of yer own accord."

The girl nodded, trusting that he would pass on the Elder's words flawlessly. "I'll do that, dad." She slowly headed for the door again. "Tell mother that I'll miss her, will ya? And Birger, too. If Gunnar wishes tuh hear it, tell 'im that I was only concerned about his health and I hope his leg heals well."

"Alright, lass. Off with ya, before someone sees ya." Now silent, the chief watched his darling girl, his dragon-born, disappear into the shadows of the back forest. Einar walked to the back door, stood looking out at the night, tracking for a sign of Beata.

She was gone.

A small smile quirked at his mouth in pride. That was his little warrior. He looked at the stars and knew that she would be okay. Still, it didn't stop him from praying.

"Gods be with you," he whispered. Then he turned back and retreated to the warmth of the fire, closing the door behind him.

Beata watched as the homes of Stein vanished behind the silver-washed seaside cliffs. Praying for her family's safety, she turned her blue eyes south and kept the sail with the wind. "Let us see what destiny has in store, shall we?" she murmured to the stars, silent sentinels of her voyage. The moon followed the viking as she headed for the southern island.


	2. Who Am I?

Chapter 2: Who Am I?

It was a late spring afternoon. The small valley where Beata had been calling home for the past six months was calm and sunny. Birds tittered in the trees before the cave the traveler had claimed for herself. The wooden door she installed at the mouth opened, letting her step through as she carried a large folded cloth, a rag, and some fresh clothes draped over her arm. She took the well-worn path from her humble abode to the running river that split the lush mountain valley she resided in. Finding the water with ease, she followed a more secluded trail to her bathing spot.

The routine had become a comfort to her. Every day she woke and took to the trails, catching her morning meal of fish or rodent as well as some snacks, if the berries were ripe. Seeing the birds of her valley made her smile, though once in a while their flight made her envy their ability to travel so much quicker than she. Then again, where was she to go? Einar only said to travel east, which is what she had been doing for the last year and a half, after her boat struck large land and forced her to abandon it. The hiking and hunting kept her in shape, though, and gave her something to do. Once with a purpose and direction, Beata was now befuddled when it came to what to do next. She had traveled countless kilometers for over two years, met people and collected necessities for settlement. Thinking to stay in civilization, Beata had attempted to remain at a village a week's journey from where she now resided, but it hadn't suited her. Even there, people treated her like the plague.

In all honesty, Beata felt more comfortable alone, if not in the company of dragons. She did not know how, but she was able to speak to them. They provided more conversation than most vikings, and the beasts were far kinder to her than the men and women she grew up with. Many a viking warned her of the dragons infesting their lands, but Beata was never afraid. The "demons" had always treated her with respect when she did so with them. Her comfort with the large, dangerous reptiles did not worry the Valkyrie in the least, though it did raise questions. Once giving in to her curiosity, Beata had asked a dragon what made her so likeable. The creature - it was a Terrible Terror, small yet fierce - replied that she was unlike any viking because she smelled of a dragon. Others had simply said that she was a dragon, so why shouldn't they help her? She had no idea what they meant. She didn't smell anything odd about herself, and how could a dragon mistake her for one? Being able to speak to dragons didn't really mean she was one. Such a thought was absurd. Right?

During her brooding, Beata had arrived at a small indentation in the riverbank. This space allowed the water to pool, clear and clean for a safe swim. Beata walked to a fallen dry log and set her things upon it. Using the wood for support, she removed her boots and stripped her clothing, placing them a small distance away from her clean things. After untying her hair, letting the black tresses fall to her waist, she calmly stepped into the water. Being runoff from the snow-capped mountains, the water was fairly cold. Standing to her belly button, Beata quickly splashed her arms and dunked herself in the water. She stood just as rapidly and waded to the sunny patch at the edge of the pool, where it joined the river. There she began scrubbing her skin and hair, ridding herself of most of the dirt she collected over the past few days.

When it was time to clean her back, Beata waded to the shore, plucked up the rag she brought and returned to the lit patch of water. She dipped the cloth of her old green shirt, brushed her long hair aside and turned at the waist to scrub her back and paused. Something dark was on her back, slightly distorted by the ripples in the water. It did not look like dirt, but the Valkyrie didn't have the slightest idea on what it could be. Calming herself from thinking the worst possible cases, Beata remained still to let the water calm. After a minute of standing, the pool settled and revealed a shocking mark. In the center of her back, level with her shoulder blades, was a black mark. It was a strange shape, a spiral of sorts that, under closer examination, gave the appearance of a coiled dragon. At least, Beata thought it was a dragon, given its wing-like silhouette and finned tail tucked at the center of the circle its body formed. Strange tufts looked to be attached to the head in a manner similar to, but not as long as, a rabbit's ears. It proved to be an odd image, but the longer she stared at it, the more she was certain that it was a dragon's shadow.

The sight of the dragon caused Beata to shudder. Seeing it made her afraid, but it also gave her a sense of wonder. She was never aware of the mark, and after scrubbing it several times she realized that it was permanent. Knowing that it was not a tattoo that she had asked done, the girl was completely baffled as to how it came to be there. She couldn't have been born with it? Could she? Surely Frida, her mother, would have told her about it? Struggling to remember any such instance, all Beata could recall was Einar and Frida asking if she was in any pain, specifically in her back. She had always thought that they were worried about her frail appearance and the rigorous training she had set for herself. A sudden pang of homesickness caught Beata off guard, but she hastily fought it down and continued washing herself, scrubbing her skin more vigorously than before. When she was satisfied with her bathing, Beata returned to grassy shore and took up her woolen towel. She dried herself off, absently pulled on her clean clothes and dried her muddy feet on her dirty shirt before shoving them into her boots. The girl then took up her things and headed for her cave, planning dinner as she went.

As she came within sight of the cave, Beata froze in her tracks. A large dragon, lean and long, was crouching before her home. Its head was sniffing at the wooden door while its body traced the grassy trail, allowing the Valkyrie to guess that the creature was a least twenty-two meters. Its hide was red like a roaring fire, interrupted by black markings. Long, curved horns the color of charcoal were on either side of its head, and there were spikes that ran along its back. The dragon was none other than a Monstrous Nightmare. Cursing her luck on leaving her weapons belt inside the cave, she quickly racked her brain for ideas. After a moment she wondered why she was so worried: dragons were reasonable. Well, those that she had met were. She'll give this creature the benefit of the doubt, something most people did not with her. Slowly, Beata positioned herself in line with the river, ready to dodge and let the Nightmare douse itself in the water should it charge her. The viking closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then she focused her blue gaze on the snooping dragon.

"Excuse me!" she called to the reptile. It lifted its head and peered at her with bright orange eyes. "Hi, could you please step away from that cave? I don't want any trouble."

The Nightmare blinked its eyes and slowly turned to face her. Claw-tipped wings worked as forelegs and it crawled toward Beata. The girl forced her sudden fear down and inclined her head to the dragon. "Thank you very much," she said. When the beast did not stop moving, the viking began to feel wary. "Err...you can understand me, right?"

This made the creature pause. Its long neck, however, allowed the head to be only six meters away from the Valkyrie. She watched as the dragon sniffed her; nostrils larger than her hand flared to take in her scent. After a moment of that, the Nightmare focused on her and rumbled, "_I am pleased that you have remembered our language, Vona_."

"Ummm…I don't know what you're talking about…"

"_Of course. You weren't told of these things, but instinct works wonders, does it not?_"

"Am I supposed to know you?" This was the second dragon to have spoken the name from her haunting dream, and now Beata wasn't sure if what she had been experiencing for her entire life was just her imagination. Such an idea made her stomach tighten in nervousness, and her head hurt trying to process the possibilities.

The dragon - a male, if Beata was allowed to determine it by voice - rumbled in thought. "_Perhaps not. You were freshly hatched when the Grand Queen told me to bring you to Stein_."

"What are you-" Images, which she had decided were actually memories, suddenly flashed in Beata's mind. Voices, mostly, but she saw fire again, finally recognizing it as a farewell. She remembered the cold winter air as she was carried off by a dragon, the sizzling water of the freshly melted snow by dragonfire. Beata blinked and leaned to the right, spotting the thick puckered scar, unmistakably earned from a spear to the flank. Her mouth dropped in shock. She tried to speak. "You...y-you were the one who took me to the village? And did you say hatched? But I'm human, I couldn't possibly be-"

"_You, Vona, are indeed a dragon_." The Monstrous Nightmare focused his orange eyes intently on her blue. "_How else would you understand us? How else do you explain your comfort with our kind? Does this not explain the way the vikings treat you? They may be too stubborn and stupid to recognize a dragon, but they aren't completely unaware of the difference between you and them_."

The drake's words stung momentarily as they seemed to press into her thoughts. Images of children avoiding her and adults turning their backs raced through her mind. Gunnar's last words to her rang in her ears, and Beata shook her head. She remembered the stares that the various vikings gave her during her travels and sales over the past two years. No one wanted to be in a room with her, and no one wanted to speak to her for longer than necessary. Where the memories of humans stabbed her with cold, sharp pain, those of dragons soothed her with warm, gentle understanding. They hunted for her, kept her company. No dragon had turned away from her; no dragon had scorned her; no dragon had tried to hurt her.

"Wait…" Beata finally said, "why are dragons so nice to me? Aren't they...we...more territorial than that?"

"_You are a Night Fury, Vona. The gods chose to hide you as the enemy to protect you. The war between dragons and vikings has gotten worse, and you are part of the solution of ending it. The Grand Queen told me that you are to learn of the way between man and beast. You were blessed by the gods, marked to be reminded of your destiny, your identity. She also marked you as her own, so when she died you would be protected._"

Remembering the crooning voice of her dreams brought tears to the Valkyrie's eyes. She only knew of the Grand Queen's voice, but when given time to think about it, her voice had been whispering to her for her entire life. That was what went missing that night over two years ago. The Nadder had said that the queen was sick. The hole in Beata's heart throbbed painfully. She didn't know when she fell, but her found herself on her knees, the Nightmare's head hovering close by. He gave a concerned growl, and the girl automatically patted his snout. It was warm and reassuring.

"If I am a dragon, then why am I human?" she asked weakly. "What am I supposed to look for as a viking?"

_"You are the hope for our kind. Only you would be able to see the world through human eyes and a dragon's thoughts. Use this to ensure peace between the races_."

"But...I can't be a dragon…" The girl shook in fear and confusion. She knew that she was different from the others in Stein, but a dragon? She was a human: she had hands, feet, thin skeletal structure, hair. She could fit into a cot, climb trees, wield an axe, a knife, shoot arrows. She ate only as much as a human could. She couldn't shoot fire, or fly!

"_You are a dragon. I can smell you. I could see you for what you are, at least until now. Now you are a human, both to me and to any viking._"

"How?! Why?!"

"_You are protected by the gods in this manner. You react to and interact with the world as you perceive it. You have been raised as a human; you think like a human; you act like a human; therefore, you are human. There are times when you rely on your instincts; you use your innate strengths; you are comfortable with who you are; as a result, you are a dragon. How else could you throw vikings twice your size? Throw those large stones into your trees? Aim so flawlessly? You are a Night Fury, one of the most agile and deadly of our kind._"

"But I don't look like a dragon!" Beata cried. "I am a human! I use tools, I wear clothes, I have a human family!"

"_They are not your real family, Vona. You are a dragon, seen as a human for your protection. You are on a mission, you have a purpose as a human. Seek out the way to peace and harmony. Live, Vona, and we all shall live._"

"I am _not_ Vona!" Her voice came out sharp, causing the Nightmare to flinch away. "I am Beata Blomgren! Adopted daughter of Einar Eld, chief of Stein! I am a _viking_!" Her words came out in a roar, and the anger and frustration flooded out of her in a rush. She never knew who she was, why she did not have a birth mother or father. She had been loved by few and scorned by many for her differences. Seeing yet another thing to set her apart from her family in Stein angered her, hurt her. Hadn't she suffered enough?

She managed to stand in her rage, glaring at the drake. Soon her ire simmered down, causing her to collapse onto the grass again, exhausted. Wrapping her shaking arms around herself, the Valkyrie tried to calm down. The dragon stood patiently two meters away, tail lashing at the air in distress. After a minute, he bowed his head.

"_Forgive me for upsetting you, Beata_," he said. "_I have said many things, and you are overwhelmed. Go over it in your own time, decide what you wish_."

Her heart was racing, but the girl did not know why. It shouldn't be stressing her so much, but it was. Her breaths came rapidly. It felt like she was about to fall apart. No. She couldn't. She was a viking. They did not break down, show weakness. She forced her eyes closed and tried to slow her thoughts, her rage at being called something that she was clearly not. After a moment, Beata exhaled slowly and opened her eyes. "Why are you here?" she asked.

"_I came to tell you of your destiny and help in any way that I can. I must, however, return to the nest in as quickly as I can. The nest will need my help in fighting off the vikings_."

Those words brought the young woman from her growing calm. "What? Stein is fighting the dragons?"

"_They have made attempts to attack the nest, but none have succeeded_."

"But Einar! My father! He would stop them!"

"_He has tried. His son is being made chief two winters from now. As such, he has taken part in affairs._"

Beata cursed. "He doesn't know the whole story. He'll get hundreds of people and dragons killed!" A sudden steel gleamed in her blue eyes. Her mind was set; her heart fluttered in anticipation. "I need to find proof that dragons and vikings can coexist."

The Nightmare purred in approval. "_I am glad to hear this, little one. The gods have told the Grand Queen that you must head east, to an island surrounded by cliffs and rocks. There you will be presented with a vision of peace, of harmony between man and dragon. Once there, you will know who you are and what to do. Your choice will affect us all_."

"Right...island surrounded by cliffs and rocks. How do I get there? Will I make it in time?" Panic threatened to take her again, but the Valkyrie shoved it back and tied it down. She looked to the drake and asked, "Can you take me partway? I don't want to keep you long, but flying straight would be a great help."

"_Of course, Beata. I shall fly you three days east. From there you will be on your own_."

The girl bowed. "That is all I ask of you...Um, what are you called?"

"_I, child, am called Flame Runner. Shall we leave immediately_?"

"Let me collect my things, and then we will go." Beata sprinted up the trail and into her cave. Hastily, she collected her things: she tied on her weapons belt, stuffed her larger satchel with her whetstone, flint, clothes, and cooking pot with utensils inside. She quickly tied the bag shut, pulled on her leather gloves, took up her bow and quiver in one hand and her cloak in the other. She kicked dirt over the coals of her morning fire before running back to Flame Runner, who was now closer to the cave and crouched down for her convenience. Beata sat at the base of the dragon's neck, took hold of one of the spines on his back and called, "Ready, my friend!" The Monstrous Nightmare gave a mighty roar and launched himself into the sky, bringing a sudden, fierce grin onto the Valkyrie's face.

* * *

Traveling on the wings of a dragon was exhilarating! Beata savored the rush of the cold air against her face, and more than once she let go of the spine she used as a grip to raise her arms up and catch as much wind as she could. No matter how many times Flame Runner took off during those three days, the girl would always laugh and grin at the sensation of defying gravity. She felt at home in the clouds and the sky. It never felt cold to her; all she felt was freedom. When she was high above the trees and mountains, Beata liked the idea that she was a dragon. Still, she didn't sprout wings and fly, which was a minor disappointment. Flame Runner assured her that when she felt true to herself, she would be able to touch the skies on her own.

On the third day of travel, the Nightmare landed in a small forest an hour before sunset. Beata dismounted once they touched the ground and untied her satchel

from the spine behind where she sat. "Thank you so much for your help, Flame Runner," she said.

"_Of course, little one_." The drake nudged her affectionately. "_Remember what I told you. Find the island, let the gods show you what there is to see, and choose what you will do."_

"I will remember," the Valkyrie replied. She rubbed his snout warmly before shrugging on her cloak and satchel, taking a step back as she did. Meeting the orange eyes of the dragon, Beata bowed. "I am ever in your debt, my friend."

Flame Runner inclined his head. "_Should you succeed, I shall be forever in yours_." The great beast turned to return for the nest, but he paused and looked back at the girl. "_Child, remember your birth name, and remember what I told you about being seen. Sometimes its best to be human, but other times being a dragon may be the only thing that can save you._"

The words chilled Beata, but she nodded instead of expressing her fear. She watched in silence as one of the infamously aggressive Monstrous Nightmares took flight. He turned northwest, riding the winds as best he could. As he faded into the lowering sun, Flame Runner gave a mighty roar in farewell. Though he could not see it, Beata raised her hand and waved in response. Praying that she would find the answer before her village was destroyed, she turned east and jogged through the forest. She wanted to cover as much distance as she could before nightfall.

* * *

**Yay Chapter 2! I'm so glad that this has already gotten some followers and helpful comments. Hopefully I will have the next chapter up soon!**

**Reviews are welcome! Thanks everyone!**

**~RedWolf210**


	3. The Fall

**Look! Chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the HHTYD series, but I do own Ulrik and his team.**

**Enjoy! Don't forget to leave a comment! :D**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Fall

Despite the sun being bright and the sky clear, the autumn air was crisp and cold. Beata was jogging to keep warm, carrying her satchel on one shoulder, her bow and quiver across the other. Her cloak covered the ensemble, open at the front to flow behind her. By late afternoon the Valkyrie's stomach was protesting at the lack of breakfast. Sighing at the noise, Beata slowed her pace and found a tall birch tree she could climb with ease. There she draped her cloak, weapons belt and her satchel, leaving them out of reach of greedy travelers and curious ground critters. The lack of weight also allowed the young woman to hunt more efficiently.

After she marked the tree four meters above the ground, Beata slid down the trunk with a short end of rope in a practiced, confident motion. Having over five years to perform such a maneuver, she felt that she should expect as much. Keeping her bow and quiver on her back, the dragon-child prowled the forest, searching for a fresh game trail. Around half an hour later, Beata found signs of a rabbit and followed the trail, taking a moment to remember which direction she had come from. She had marked trees periodically, but it was always good to reorient herself and be consciously aware of her surroundings. The trail led to a small burrow, hidden by a thornbush. Noting the location, the young woman picked up a decent sized rock, slipped it in her quiver and climbed a pine tree. She sat on the first branch then readied her bow in her lap along with its arrow. Settling in a comfortable position with a clear view of the exit to the burrow, Beata waited for a solid ten minutes to lull her prey into security. After listening to the running water of a nearby creek, the huntress lifted her stone, took a breath, and hurled the rock at the back of the rabbit's home.

By the time the object thunked against the escape route for the rodent, Beata had her arrow knocked and pointed to the rabbithole. A sudden blur shot out of the brush, and the Valkyrie released the arrow. She was too slow, and the arrow pierced the earth just behind the retreating white hare. Growling, Beata clutched her bow and leapt from the tree, rolling with the landing to absorb the impact. No sooner did she hit the ground was she up in the air again, drawing a startled cry from her. As she fought to reason what had happened, the viking realized that she was suspended in a large net. Somehow, she triggered a trapper's snare and ended up taking the place of whatever poor creature was the intended target. Upon further examination of the ropes, Beata figured that their quarry was large game, possibly a wolf or mountain lion. Still, the rope was excessively thick for that, the fiber too rough. A sudden sinking feeling silenced her growling stomach. It made her no less sick, though.

A dragon trap. She had heard of dragon trappers during her travels, and she never wanted to meet one. There was an instinctual fear of the idea, seeing the products they sold and hearing the tales they caused. They were cruel men, nearly impossible to empathize or reason with. Fear made her mind race, and she quickly pulled out the dagger from her bodice and began sawing at the ropes. The fibers were resilient, dulling her blade faster than she thought. She was only halfway through the rope when her sweaty hand dropped the dagger. It fell to the leaf-littered floor, and a small whine escaped her lips. The little knife in her boot wouldn't stand a chance to these ropes. Panic threatened to consume her, but Beata fought it down hurriedly. She was human, right? Over the last three years, she had never seen herself as a dragon or acted dragon-like. Few dragons were in this land, at least from what she had been able to see. With the lack of contact with the beasts, the Valkyrie was now feeling more human than ever. The trappers did not catch a dragon, but a viking. Once they saw that, they would let her go. Nodding to her reasoning, Beata tried to make herself comfortable and closed her eyes, waiting for the trappers to come.

* * *

It was nightfall when a snapping twig woke the young woman from her sleep. At first she was confused about where she was, but then she remembered the net and her lost dagger. As soon as she sorted those thoughts, a sudden orange light of fire startled Beata. She recoiled from the blinding flames, throwing her arm in front of her face. Darkness protected what remained of her sight, allowing her to focus on the voices around her.

"What in Thor's name!?" demanded a husky voice, clearly miffed at what he saw.

"That's not a dragun!" confirmed another man, upset as well at their obvious failure on their mission.

"That can't be possible," growled a third in confusion. "The trigga was s'posed tuh snap when a dragon's weight is on it, not this!"

"Quiet!" snarled a fourth. The previous voices obeyed, and the torch pulled back from the net. Beata lowered her arm and found the faces of four burly vikings. The one closest to her was taller than the rest, perhaps 183 centimeters. His eyes were dark and furious, his strong jaw clenched and lips pulled back in a snarl that could be seen even through the thick black beard. The Valkyrie had to force herself to not cringe.

"Where is yer dragon, dragon-rider?" the man hissed, circling the net like a hungry wolf. He wanted to know where his quarry was, and he could tell the girl was scared. He chose to emphasize it. "Surely he didn't leave ya all alone an' helpless?"

"I'm sorry tuh disappoint you, sir," Beata replied, "but I'm not a dragon-rider." Though she said those words with confidence, the girl was hopelessly confused. What was he talking about? Were there people out there who rode on the backs of dragons? A sudden hope filled her chest. Had she found the peace that she was searching for?

The trapper's eyes had narrowed. She managed to have lip, after all. "Don't lie tuh me, brat," he spat. "Only a dragon can set off this trap, and there's you and no dragon. So, either ya saved yer pet from this net, or he left ya fer dead."

"I told you, I have no dragon!" Her hope allowed her to break past her fear and feel annoyance at the man's words. "There was no dragon. I was hunting and got snagged in the trap. Let me go, and I won't tell of your traps."

"Oh? Ya think that we're just gunna let ya go, lass?" Blackbeard gave a hearty, dark laugh and looked to his men. "What say you, boys?"

"She's lyin' tuh us," said the third man, a dark blonde with steel grey eyes and a thick beard. A scar ran through his right eye.

"Aye, let's take 'er back," suggested the first. "The dragon will follow us, especially if she makes a lot o' noise." The men sniggered at the comment, and Beata felt herself pale. Just as well, the leader thought. She should fear what would be coming to her.

"Can't 'ave 'er tellin' the rider we're 'ere," confirmed the second.

"True, Erik, true," agreed Blackbeard. His grin widened. It would do them good to have something to pass the time at their base. If their entertainment attracted her dragon, then all the better, he thought. "Looks like you'll be comin' wit us, lass. Boys, take 'er down."

The men set to work, untying the counterweight from the net. Beata hit the ground with an ungraceful yelp. Her back hit the hilt of her dagger, buried in the leaves. She hissed in pain but made no move for the knife. They might notice, take it, and use it for themselves. The anger the fall gave her sputtered out when Scarface tied the top of the net in a brisk, businesslike manner. Erik, the most muscled of the group, calmly took the ropes to the net and walked north, dragging Beata across the forest floor. The Valkyrie dug in her heels to slow them down and mark their progress. Blackbeard kicked her ankles and smirked in satisfaction when she snarled and glared at him.

"Plenty of fire in ya, good," he praised, a smirk on his face and a devilish gleam in his dark eyes. "The men like that."

Her blood went cold. The viking laughed and kept walking. Rocks clawed at her flesh as they dragged her in the net, and Beata began to panic. She didn't want to find out what the trappers had in mind for her. Not only that, but if any dragons were near by and she struggled, called for help, they would rescue her. That would put them at risk of being caught, which the young traveler did not want. She had to do something, get out of the net, but how? The ropes were meant to keep in a dragon!

Flame Runner's words came to mind. "My innate strength…" she whispered. "Instincts…" Her blue eyes flickered to the portion of the net above her, near the bottom of the net. The cut rope was still there, waiting to be broken. She needed to weaken more links, then she could tear her way out. Her short knife was in her boot, but it couldn't cut any rope far enough to tear easily. Beata closed her eyes and calmed herself. She had to fight, she had to make noise. If dragons knew she was there, they could have the riders Blackbeard mentioned. They could help, or she could break away on her own. She decided to act.

"You'll be sorry to bring me to your base!" she shouted. "I'm not going down without a fight, by Odin!" She twisted and kicked, snagging her feet on roots and rocks to slow them down. When heavy boots kicked her, Beata snarled and grabbed at them, trying to twist or pull their foot out from under them. Once she came close, but a second boot kicked her face, tossing her to the side and hit a tree as the net was dragged onward. Stunned, the Valkyrie went quiet. The trappers murmured in approval and laughed, but when Beata continued struggling, they ignored her. They walked ahead and flanked her, out of reach of her hands.

It was just what she wanted.

The dragon-child looked to the tear in the net, and it was looser. Carefully, she pulled her knife from her boot and quickly started sawing at the surrounding ropes, spitting and shouting all the while, hiding the sound of shredding fibers. She cut partway into ten ropes before putting her knife away. Then she quieted down as if tired and closed her eyes. Ignoring the spiteful rocks Erik dragged her over, Beata focused on the fire within her. She took her anger, her pain, and threw them into the flames of her soul. Picturing the fire traveling up her chest and throat, the woman could almost feel the heat. She held the fire in her mouth for a long moment, and then she shouted and released it as she would an arrow from the bow.

A loud boom sounded in the air, the concussion throwing the four heavy Vikings to the ground. A purple ball of fire soared into the sky, and the net exploded at the tears. Beata jumped through the hole and ran. She was free! Keeping her focus on the matter at hand, the dragon-born bounded away, back the way she came. Shouts came from behind her, the trappers hooting and hollering.

"Boss, that was a Night Fury!" called Scarface.

"Probably that rider and his beast!" explained one man.

"After the lass!" bellowed Blackbeard. "She's grounded! Don't let her escape on that Night Fury!" He hadn't expected those do-gooder brats to be out patrolling this late, but if he could catch that Night Fury, it would certainly be worth the trouble. The girl they caught must be one of their tribe, and having her would be a chance at leverage, to her dragon and her people.

They couldn't lose either opportunity.

Beata panted as she ran, trying to ignore her screaming muscles. After several minutes of running, her body began to relax, and her feet moved with greater surety. She was suddenly running on all fours, lengthening her stride and leaping boulders with ease. Her vision became clearer, and she no longer felt tired. Even with her muscles feeling less pain, her adrenaline kept her going, as did the shouts chasing her.

"I see the Fury!" hooted Erik. A whistling sound came from behind, and Beata jumped to the left to hear a loud crack as an enormous axe bore into a tree. The sound made her shout in surprise and run faster. No longer aware of her direction, she kept running. The voices of the Vikings faded gradually as she dodged rocks, logs, and trees, but the dragon-born still fled. She wanted to be as far as possible before she could remotely feel safe. A sharp horn blew a loud note into the night, startling Beata and causing her to leap over the ground.

And then she was falling.

Her cry of dismay became a roar as she saw the rocks below her. Suddenly, her body halted and began to glide over the deadly boulders. She looked behind her to see if she was taken by a dragon but only found dark wings beating from her now black hide. She was flying?! Beata couldn't believe it; she was afraid to. When she looked away from her wings, she realized that she was plummeting to the earth again. Another roar came from her mouth before she struck the water in a tumbling dive.

The world became shockingly cold and dark. She could not tell up from down. Realizing that she was underwater, Beata panicked and twisted around, searching for the moonlight. There was none. She screamed, and water filled her lungs. With the desperation of a drowning creature, she tried to fight her way to the surface. A sudden motion from what she thought was her tail propelled her upwards. Freezing air rushed into her doused lungs, and Beata began coughing. She paddled toward shore, gasping for air between clenched teeth. Pale hands dragged her out from the water and onto the frosted shore. The young woman coughed more, expelling cold liquid from her lungs. After some dry heaving, Beata collapsed onto her side, staring at nothing. The winter night sunk its claws into her, and she shivered. She couldn't move, the pain from the kicks and the exertion from her run pinned her down. Her breaths came in clouds of vapor, white in the starlight. Darkness filled the Valkyrie's vision, and she dimly noticed a Viking shield trapped between two rock walls before sighing and letting the darkness take her away from the pain.


	4. The Stranger

Chapter 4: The Stranger

The home of the new chief of Berk was quiet and peaceful. In one of the rooms was a young man, buried in his blankets and sound asleep. At the side of his bed was a large black dragon, curled with his one-finned tail beside his belly. The breathing of the beast was akin to large bellows, but it did not bother the viking in the least. Both were resting and dreaming when a distant echo of a dragon's wail woke the Night Fury. Green eyes opened as the drake sat up, ears alert. A second, faint roar reached his ears, and the message was all too clear: _"Help me!"_

The Night Fury gave a worried roar and immediately turned to the sleeping viking beside him. He nudged the young man with his large, salamander-like head, trying to wake his friend. The effort brought a drowsy groan from the buried form. "Toothless," the youth slurred, "Go to sleep, we still have a couple more hours before our morning flight."

The dragon shook his head and growled, more assertive this time. He was the alpha to the dragons in their village and by Thor was he going to help a dragon in need! Deciding to wake his rider up with force, Toothless rose a large foreleg and plopped it on the young chief's stomach. A gasping and awake viking was the result of the attempt, and the drake was glad for it. He took his leg back and shook himself with urgency, giving short roars as a dog would bark.

"What is the matter with ya?" asked the young man. He had curled up momentarily from the unexpected weight falling on his stomach but soon sat upright. Hazel-green eyes looked the fidgeting dragon, and a light skinned hand ran through the viking's messy reddish-brown hair. "Really, bud? Can't you hold it for four more hours?"

With a frustrated huff, Toothless smacked his rider with the one fin on his tail. "Hey!" the chief barked. The door to his room suddenly opened, and a candle lit the room while a woman followed behind it. She was a thin, tall woman, wearing a long gown of fine blue silk, her rich brown hair braided past her hips and veined with silver. Vibrant green eyes looked to the two occupants of the room.

"Hiccup, what in the name of the gods is going on?" she asked in a strong, worried voice.

"I don't know, mom," the young man replied. "Toothless woke me up and-"

The dragon in question bolted past Hiccup's mother and leapt down the stairs into the large sitting room. The woman shouted briefly in surprise as she moved out of the way. "Goodness! I believe he heard something."

The chief noded and tossed his blankets out of the way. He stood on his feet - or rather foot, given the prosthetic he had to attach to his left leg - and pulled on an extra shirt before taking up a coat. "Well, whatever it is, it's certainly riled him up." The two vikings rushed their way downstairs to find the front door open and the Night Fury standing in the sullen firelight that had crept its way from the house and outside. The saddle and tail prosthetic lied before him. Seeing Hiccup ready for flight, Toothless shook and roared, looking in the direction where he had heard the distress call. Without another word, his rider outfitted his dragon with the surety that came with years of practice. He switched the metal tip of his "foot" for the hooked shape used to help his Fury fly and mounted the dragon in a swift motion, locking his left foot into place.

"We'll be back!" the young chief said as Toothless launched himself into the air without warning. The words were snuffed out by the sudden rush of air. "Woah there, bud! Easy!" Hiccup called to his friend. His words were disregarded, and the viking forced himself not to be annoyed about it. He noticed the frantic wing-strokes the dragon was making and felt worry knot his own stomach. He leaned forward and patted the shoulder of the Night Fury. "Ease up a little, Toothless, you'll strain your wings this way."

The beast seemed to sigh and lessened his beats slightly, though his pace hardly changed. Hiccup clung to the handles he installed in the saddle and wished he had remembered his helmet. He glanced down at the forest below and recognized it as the location he had shot Toothless down. Within moments the duo was diving into the cove where they had first become friends. Toothless landed smoothly and started running to the edge of the pond, where he saw something out of place. When he stopped, Hiccup glanced down to find a young woman partway out of the water. Her clothes were dark with a tint of white frost. The way they clung to her and the paleness of her skin warned of hypothermia. Black hair was tied in a loose braid, the shorter strands frozen to the stranger's white cheeks. Small clouds appeared before her purple lips, a sign of life.

Toothless made a whining sound and lowered his head to nudge the woman's. She did not stir, and Hiccup remembered himself enough to dismount and kneel by the girl. "Back it up, bud," the chief ordered softly. "I got her." He carefully rolled the stranger over, removed his coat and draped it over the girl's front before scooping her up in his arms. She looked to be of similar age, and he was glad that he didn't have to carry her far. Toothless helped in seating her on the saddle, and Hiccup joined her. Holding her close and pulling the handles of the rigging up, he told the drake to hurry. With a roar, the dragon obeyed, speeding to the village of Berk.

* * *

Valka, wife of Stoick the Vast and mother to Hiccup, was waiting with a fresh candle in her hand when her son returned. Toothless landed carefully onto the ground and lowered himself to make it easier for Hiccup to remove their passenger. The woman gasped and rushed to meet them when she realized that the young chief was carrying another person. "What happened?" she asked as she helped her son carry the young woman into the house, taking one of the stranger's arms and draping it over her shoulders. She kept herself from shuddering at the contact with the cold, soaked person. Her son explained the situation as they walked, a large black dragon trailing behind them.

"I don't know what happened to her, but she was found by the pond where we first practiced flying." Hiccup and his mother slowly lied her down on one of the long benches of their home. "She's been in the water, and she's freezing."

"Alright," Valka said. "Run to my room and bring me some clothes and spare blankets." The viking rushed to obey, and the woman walked to the water barrel and half-filled a large cauldron with water. She hung it over the fire, adding more logs to heat up the room and the contents of the pot faster. Hiccup returned to the main room with a small stack of clothes as Valka was removing the coat and the girl's black leather armor. The garments were frozen, slippery to the touch, so the woman had to resort to cutting the strips of hide to peel away the protection.

Toothless watched with wide green eyes, clearly distraught. He circled the two women, trying to get a better view of their unconscious guest. Hiccup took it upon himself to keep his dragon at bay while his mother stripped the stranger of her soaked, frosted clothing. "Com'on, bud," he said, grabbing the Night Fury by the harness and tugging at him. "We need to let her work." Of course, his mightiest efforts wouldn't budge the beast, but the drake found the sense in his friend's words and reluctantly followed him to the other side of the large room. There Hiccup removed the saddle and harness, observing his best friend as the dragon watched Valka helping the young woman.

Hiccup had never seen his dragon so worried before. His claws flexed endlessly throughout the next hour, while the chief's mother used the heated water to warm their guest up before putting her in dry clothes. The dragon rider looked to the fire all the while, sparing a glance to Toothless every so often and patting his head in reassurance. "She'll be fine, bud," he said softly. "We found her in time, don't worry." The dragon gave a worried rumble before lying down close to Hiccup.

* * *

Valka was using a warm rag to help bring the girl's body temperature up, wiping the skin with gentle care. She worked carefully and methodically, core first before the limbs. Injuries covered their guest's pale skin, making the mother pay special attention to those areas as she mechanically catalogued them in her head. She helped the stranger sit up and brushed her raven black hair aside to wipe her back when she saw the mark between her shoulderblades. Her hand froze in its motion as the woman studied what looked to be a tattoo. To her surprise, the symbol was a Night Fury, all shadow and curled in a short spiral. "Amazing…" the viking woman murmured as she lightly touched the sharp, curved design of the wings and finned tail. She then remembered what she was doing and resumed wiping the back and worked to her arms and legs, still wondering about what the symbol meant. Thinking it over, she selected a dress from the pile of clothing Hiccup had brought, knowing that she needed to minimize the movement needed to clothe the unconscious youth. The freezing woman did not stir as the Berkian helped her into the dress. Finally, she eased the girl down onto the bench with her head resting on a folded otter fur. After covering her with two weaved blankets and two heavy furs, Valka felt satisfied with the growing color in their unexpected guest's cheeks and made her way to her son and his dragon.

"So," she said as she sat next to her boy. "Tell me what happened."

"Well, Toothless heard something and woke me up. He was worried and when we reached the pond, I could see why." A frown came to Hiccup's face. "What I don't know is how she got there. The water is far enough in the cove that jumping wouldn't have allowed her to hit the water. Maybe she was thrown off or something?" The idea made him wish it wasn't true, but it was the only explanation that he could think of.

"That would make some sense, really," Valka replied. When hazel-green eyes asked for an explanation, she complied. "She is covered in bruises and cuts. Most of the large bruises were bootprints; smaller ones looked like she'd been knocked about for a while; one bruise in particular looked like a knife's hilt. Her head has a nasty lump, too." The woman looked sadly to the girl sleeping on the bench. "She's taken a terrible beating, poor lass."

"Who would do such a thing?" Hiccup growled. The list of injuries made his fists clench, and Toothless seemed to understand the situation and gave an angry hiss at the distressing news. "No one in Berk would do that," the chief continued.

Valka understood their sentiments and sought to assure her son. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and spoke softly, trying to be the voice of reason. "I know that, Hiccup. Still, you cannot rush off an' seek justice if you don't know what happened. We will wait until she wakes up, and then we'll ask her about her injuries." She pulled her son forward and kissed his hair before resting a warm hand on his cheek. "Now, go get some sleep. A chief needs to be rested and aware for his people, aye?"

"Right," the young man sighed. The excitement of the rescue simmering down, he was beginning to feel tired once again. He gave his mother a hug before standing up and glancing to his dragon. "Com'on, bud. Let's go get some rest."

Toothless looked up from his place on the packed dirt floor, staring with wide eyes. The drake then stood and, instead of following his rider upstairs, settled himself on the floor beside the sleeping guest. Both Hiccup and Valka stared at the dragon in surprise. "Well, that's a bit...odd," Hiccup managed. "He's been awfully worried for this person." He gestured to the furrows in the floor where he once was. "Been digging at the ground from the time you started to the time you finished."

"Perhaps he recognizes her?" Valka offered. "Ya did meet him when you were a fifteen, so maybe he met someone else before yerself?"

"I wouldn't know how she would've gotten close to him. I had to shoot him down to meet him." He laughed the slightest and looked to his mother, who had a pensive frown on her face, brown brows furrowed. "What is it, mom?"

"Nothing, nothing, just a thought…"

Hiccup scowled briefly at the woman. "Is it something that I should know?" His tone carried a subtle weight of authority to it, and Valka noticed. For the past few months since he had become chief, her son had grown more confident in demanding answers. She felt a surge of pride for it, but it also came with the heartache from the loss of her husband, her son's predecessor.

After some thought, she sighed. "There looked to be a tattoo on her back," she responded. "It was a Night Fury."

"What?" Hiccup sat down on the steps of the stairs. He glanced back at his mother. "Are...are you sure?" When she nodded, the young man only felt more confusion. He spoke his thoughts aloud. "But how? No one has seen a Night Fury up close before, present company and village excluded, possibly the trappers, too."

"Didn't you say that you found other villages during your explorations? Perhaps she's from those places?"

Hiccup shook his head. "They all ran for the hills at the shadow of our dragons. No one dared to be up close." His auburn brows furrowed, thinking over the times he visited towns during his mapping excursions. Hardly anyone wanted to be near Toothless, so how could they get a good enough look to design a tattoo? The chief glanced to said dragon, who was watching them calmly from beneath the bench. The drake lifted his head to sniff the young woman's hair, which was re-braided by the mother and draped over the side. His eyes seemed to widen the slightest, recognizing the scent, before settling on his forelegs and sighing tiredly. He, too, was puzzled at finding the human, but for a different reason.

His mother also mulled the idea over, and a spark of hope seemed to kindle in her emerald eyes. "Perhaps she comes from a land where Night Furies still exist?" She looked to the young chief with a small smile, trying to spread the hope, only to see the viking look more distressed. His hands were gripping his knees to the point their knuckles were white. Doubt and hope battled behind his hazel-green eyes. He wanted it to be true; he had spent years exploring new lands, searching for any sign of such a thing. Every time he located undiscovered territory, dragons were the first thing he searched for, especially Night Furies.

Never once did he find one. What were the odds of a person who came from a land where there were more dragons like Toothless just showing up out of nowhere?

"Maybe," Hiccup said at last, tired. He stood up again, slowly. "Guess we'll be finding out sooner or later. I'm going to bed, good night."

"Good night, dear." Valka watched as her son climbed the stairs alone. She saw the weight of the conversation rest on his shoulders, and she couldn't help but feel guilty for bringing it up. Her green eyes looked to the dragon's. He sat up as if to leave, if a little hesitantly. It made her smile the slightest. She, too, stood up. "Well, Toothless, looks like you'll keep our guest company. Let us know when she wakes up, hm?"

The Fury's tail swished in assent while he bowed his head. The woman smiled more and walked to him for a loving scratch under his chin before retiring to her room, bringing the candle with her. Light from the fire still kept the room in a golden glow, and Toothless looked to the unconscious Valkyrie before sighing and laying down to rest once more. He had heard a dragon call for help. He had smelled a dragon, but he saw a viking. Still, he knew that this person was a dragon. Thinking that all would be explained in the morning, the drake closed his eyes and slept.

* * *

**Hey everyone!**

**Hope you liked this chapter! I'll try and keep up with the updates, but I'll be making edits to ensure that the reading is smooth and enjoyable to the readers :) Also, if anyone would like to do some artwork for this story's cover, I would be EXTREMELY grateful! I'm not the best artist, and I would appreciate it if someone could make an awesome image that'd be great. Message me if you're interested.**

**Thanks again! You guys are amazing!**

**~ RedWolf210**


	5. Berk

Chapter 5: Berk

Pain in her limbs made Beata groan. A wave of cold washed over her, and she shivered. Her mind was suspended in darkness for another moment before she remembered her fall and gasped awake. Her eyes took in the dark support beams of the ceiling above her, wondering numbly how she had gotten indoors. Crackling from a fire reached her ears, making her realize how cold she still was. A crooning noise came from her right, its note unfamiliar to her. The young woman slowly turned her head to meet the large green eyes of a dragon. She gasped at how close it was to her, but her body felt so heavy that she couldn't move. Her breathing came in quick bursts, panicked further by her immobility. The dragon tilted its head at her, another concerned rumble sounded from its chest before it noticed her shivering again - her body had given up on trying to run, resolving to warm itself up first.

Beata was then taken aback when the creature walked away only to drag a large log into the long fire-pit that was in the center of what seemed to be a large viking home. The light brightened as flames began to consume the firewood. She watched warily as the dragon returned to her, sitting poised like a cat. Only then did she notice that its silhouette was similar to the mark on her back. "You're…" she croaked.

_"A Night Fury,"_ the drake finished. His voice was smooth and certain. The black dragon leaned toward her, sniffing the air about her curiously. _"You are a dragon, but you are a viking, too?"_

"It's...a l-long story…" The Valkyrie tried to speak without her teeth chattering so loudly. "W-where am I, exactly?"

_"This is Berk. It's an island just before a sea with cliffs and sharp rocks. It is a safe place for dragons and vikings alike, so you may rest and heal as needed."_

"Island village? Between…" Despite her shaking and fatigue, the young woman managed a smile. Did she actually arrive to the place the Grand Queen and Elder Blomgren spoke of? In a sudden surge of hope, Beata sat up and tried to look around. Her muscles protested while the room tilted. Instead of hitting the dirt floor like she expected, she found herself leaning on the sturdy mass of the Night Fury. He gave a worried whine, and the Valkyrie patted his back. "I'm okay, just weak and dizzy."

_"My friends will be here soon, so please hang on a little longer."_

"I'll try, but I'm cold…"

_"Let's sit by the fire, then. Keep hold of your covers. I will help you."_ Beata stood slowly, leaned on the Fury and walked with him toward the fire. It was all the effort she could manage to maintain her grip on the blankets. Her legs gave out two meters from the flames, and the drake helped her settle in her pile of furs by taking some of the layers in his jaws, after retracting his teeth, of course.

"Huh, never seen a dragon do that," the young woman murmured as she watched him re-positioning the covers.

_"Oh, that's just something I can do."_ He seemed to realize that he forgot something and aimed a somewhat ashamed glance at her. Before she could ask what was wrong, he introduced himself. _"My name is Toothless, by the way."_ The dragon nudged the remaining blankets closer to the girl, making her look as if in a cozy, fuzzy nest. His green eyes met hers, and the Valkyrie immediately saw the intelligence and kindness behind them. It made her feel secure and warm.

Following his example, she gave her name. "I am Beata, Beata Blomgren." She shivered again. Toothless walked around her and settled down where his body curled around hers, supporting her back as she sat by the fire. Beata wrestled her right hand from her warm cocoon and rested it on the Night Fury's warm nose. "Thank you, Toothless, for saving my life."

_"An alpha protects his own," _the drake said_. "And I couldn't have done it without my rider, who is the leader of this village. Rest, Beata. He should be home soon. I will keep watch until then."_

The guest nodded her head slowly, already feeling her body fall into sleep once more. Her mind raced with questions and hopes, but the heat from the fire lulled her shaking body into stillness. Carefully adjusting her furs, Beata managed to lie on her side while nestled in the blankets. Toothless's tail tucked under the furs to keep his charge from stretching too close to the flames, and he settled comfortably, keeping an eye on her and the door. The Valkyrie murmured another thanks before slipping into a more natural form of unconsciousness.

* * *

Hiccup was working in the saddleroom, accepting orders for custom-made designs for each viking's dragon. Working on a rather large saddle for a Gronkle, the young chief was drawing the lines on the leather for the pattern required when he paused, charcoal pencil in hand. He glanced to the contraption to his right and abruptly slapped his palm against his forehead. "Ugh, not again," he groaned.

"What?" asked a familiar voice. Hiccup jumped and spun on his good leg to see a young maiden with flaxen blonde hair. She was smaller than him, though he didn't let that fool him: she was one of the most dangerous vikings he knew. Her eyes were a lovely sky blue, and her face round and soft with a nose that was not large nor flat. Beautiful as ever, Hiccup always smiled at the sight of her.

"Oh, hey Astrid," he said after his initial startle died down. The viking turned back to the leather and took it off the log used as a mannequin for the dragons. "What brings ya here this fine mornin'?" he asked as he brought the hide to the machine he was looking at prior to his outburst. The maiden followed him.

"Well, I wanted to see what you were up to later today, and then you started groaning." She nodded to the red mark on his forehead. "Forgot somethin'?"

"Yeah, the small tool kit I use to fix my leg is also the right size to fix the cutter. Can't get work done without it. Could you keep watch, maybe help out, while I go get the kit?" He knew Astrid could handle taking the requests from the villagers and keep them at bay should he take longer than usual to get the tools. Besides, he needed to check on the young woman he found the night before.

"I can get it," the blonde volunteered. "It's upstairs in your room, right? At the worktable?" Hiccup mindlessly grunted an affirmative before realizing that he hadn't mentioned the stranger to anyone else. He and his mother had decided to get the morning rush for the saddles before returning home and asking the girl some questions. They hadn't wanted to give her reason to panic, and with some answers provided, they would have something worth telling the people.

"Wait, Astrid!" the chief called. She was already gone. Worry became a solid rock in the bottom of Hiccup's stomach. If Astrid, his fiancé, found the woman before he could explain, she might attack or harass her. Not only that, but Hiccup himself might be who his love became upset with, which normally ended with him in bruises. He had to stop her before she got to the house.

The viking's feet were already moving, chasing after the blonde Valkyrie. "Astrid!" he shouted. "Hold up! You don't have to get them!" He rounded the corner of a house and started uphill, spotting his fiancé jogging the steep incline. He called her name again, and she turned around.

"Hiccup! You didn't have to come," she assured him, an amused smile on her face. "I know where you usually keep the toolbox, and it isn't that heavy."

He had caught up, panting. "I have to...check on...a few things...anyway," he explained between breaths.

"Like what?" she asked, blue eyes confused. He did tend to be a little frazzled and scatterbrained, especially since he's been spread thin with rebuilding the village and such, but something in his words seemed off. She waited for him to gain enough air, knowing that he would tell her what was going on soon enough. She wasn't disappointed.

"Toothless decided to sleep in this morning. I wanted to see if he wanted to wait at the shop for me before our flight." It was true, and he was about to warn her about the random guest when Astrid laughed.

"Gosh, you could have just said so!" she said, relieved that it wasn't as serious as she had worried. A smile spread over her face at how fond of his companion her fiancé was. It was endearing as well as one of the reasons she loved him. More determined to help now, she suggested, "Tell ya what, I'll get the box, and you check on your dragon?"

"Umm...hey! Wait up!" Astrid had begun running again, and Hiccup followed once again. "Astrid! You need to be careful!"

"I'm fine, and I'm less winded than you, too." The girl gave him a smug smile before she arrived at the front door and reached for the handle. Her fiancé shouted to wait, but she went inside anyway. Hiccup cursed and sped up, reaching the doorway within another few seconds. He nearly ran into the blonde, who had stopped in the entryway. She was staring at Toothless, who watched calmly with his round pupils. He was loosely curled around a bundle of warm furs, and the pale face of the rescued stranger was exposed to the warm golden light of the fire. Given the chance to see her without fearing her death, Hiccup noticed how pretty her face was, even with the cuts.

Astrid stared at the strange woman in her fiance's home for another moment, and then she turned her cold blue gaze to the young chief. She tried to keep herself from snarling at him. "Hiccup," she said, tense. "Who is that? And what is she doing in your home?" She had thought that he was only acting odd due to pride, but finding a woman in his house that obviously wasn't family, in secret, infuriated her. She wanted to tell herself that she didn't feel threatened, but the emotion had spurred up rather quickly.

"We don't know her name," Hiccup replied immediately, knowing his beloved's temper. "Toothless heard her screaming and woke the house up. I flew with him to the cove where you first found us, and she was there, soaked and freezing to death. I brought her here as quickly as I could, and my mother helped her into fresh clothes. We let her sleep and regain her body heat."

Seeing her pale blonde eyebrow raise, he sighed, "Astrid, she was beaten prior to being, we think, thrown off the ledge and into the water to die. I couldn't leave her there, you know that. Valka treated her wounds, and I kept Toothless from nosing in on the two." His hazel eyes looked helplessly to his dragon, avoiding the glare from his betrothed and hoping that she would understand. "He's so protective of her, and I don't know why. I haven't seen him like this before."

"I have," the blonde said softly. When Hiccup turned to look at her again, her anger had died down. Astrid knew her fiancé was telling the truth, the look on his face and in his eyes spoke more than any other person she met. She saw the righteous anger in his gaze, and she felt proud to be his future wife. Her previous spike of jealousy sputtered out in shame at doubting him, and she let herself relax and notice the cuts and bruises on the stranger's face. When she looked to Hiccup, he was watching her carefully. To assuage his worries and get back to the matter at hand, she nodded to Toothless. "He was this protective when you were in a coma, after that battle with the local Queen. Toothless wouldn't leave your side unless we forced him to. He's really kind, and so are you."

Hiccup felt himself relax, relieved that Astrid wasn't going to hurt him or the stranger. The two vikings embraced each other, and the Night Fury gave a pleased rumble. A small groan caught everyone's attention. The blankets stirred, and Toothless gently nudged the young woman to a sitting position. She looked to be of a similar age as the two of them, if one could judge only from her face as she was wrapped in blankets. Eyes the blue of glacial ice peered from a loose fall of raven black hair. There was a purple bruise on her right cheek, but she seemed unaware of any pain. Her gaze sent chills up and down Hiccup's spine, and Astrid looked to shudder the slightest, too. The stranger watched with a blank expression. Toothless rumbled again, and she looked to him for a moment before focusing on the two vikings, her gaze warming the slightest.

"Thank you, Chief Hiccup, for saving me from winter's clutches," she said humbly. Her voice was soft, seemingly delicate, but something was lying beneath it. A strength seemed twined in her words, controlled but still there, humming in the air. Hiccup found it odd that he compared her voice to the growl of a calm dragon.

"You're welcome," he said. A small detail then caught his attention, making him stand up straighter. "Umm...how did you know my name?"

"Toothless told me," she replied easily, scratching the drake by the root of his right ear. The dragon purred in response, giving his rider and Astrid a moment to be surprised by how easily the Night Fury let her pet him.

The young man nodded slowly. More than anything, he thought that the young woman had heard him or his mother talking while she was unconscious. Remembering her eyes on him, he inclined his head and said, "Well, I will officially introduce myself anyway. As you know, I am Hiccup Haddock, chief of Berk. This here is my betrothed, Astrid Hofferson." The blonde waved with a gentle smile.

Strange blue eyes studied them for a moment before his guest bowed her head. "I am Beata Blomgren, daughter of Einar Eld the Brave, chief of Stein."

"A chief's daughter?" asked Astrid. "Hiccup, we need to tell him where she is. He could be worried sick about her."

"That won't be necessary," Beata said. Her eyes became sad, and her lips dipped in a faint frown. "I was cast out from my village by the people. My father let me go, so I could be safe."

"From what?" Hiccup asked. He remembered the injuries his mother reported and asked, "Were those villagers the ones who hurt you?"

The black haired maiden shook her head, ignoring the way it made her head throb. "No, sir. Stein is very far away. It took me five years to get here, and that was with the brief assistance of dragon wings."

"You're a dragon rider?" Astrid asked.

"No, but…" Beata glanced to the Night Fury beside her, who seemed to nod his head encouragingly. "I understand them, in a way. A dragon protected me when I was a babe, and he found me again tuh remind me of my destiny an' help bring me closer tuh my destination." Beata stared down at the soft furs, worried that the two before her would laugh and call her crazy, or a freak.

They didn't. Both of them were more focused on the mentioning of a fortune. Curious and somewhat suspicious, Hiccup asked, "Where did you need to go to complete this destiny?"

"Here, I think." The Valkyrie tilted her head the slightest, reminding the young chief of his mother, who had lived amongst dragons for twenty years. "Toothless said that you are his rider. Are you the only one who has a dragon for a partner?"

"No," Astrid replied. When Beata focused on her, she smiled. "All of Berk has a dragon as their friend and ally. We care for them and they for us." The blonde watched as the maiden looked to the Fury again, who nodded.

A small roar came from his mouth, which Beata had heard as, _"What she says is true. We live here among them without killing one another."_ He gave her a smile, teeth retracted as a sign of good nature, and the dragon-born beamed.

"Then this is indeed the place that they predicted," she breathed. Her chest swelled with hope, and she wanted to jump for joy. Still, her muscles were exhausted, her head throbbing.

Hiccup noticed the pained expression on her face, and then he remembered why he was there. He looked to his fiancé. "Astrid, can you get the tools? We still have a lot of work to do." The blonde nodded and sped upstairs. As she did so, Hiccup went to the water barrel, filled a mug with water and brought it to Beata. He knelt before her and his dragon, watching their guest sip carefully before she was confident her throat would work. Surprisingly, she finished the mug in several long gulps and handed the container back. His eyes met hers, and he could see worry and fear behind them.

"You can stay here for now, Beata," he said gently. "I've got a few jobs to do around the village, but I'll be back before nightfall. My mother should be here before then to help you with anything. Once I'm back, I'll need to ask you a few questions. Will that be okay?"

Beata nodded carefully, worry creeping back into her heart. Would they believe her story? She wanted to tell someone about her confusing past, to figure out her true self, but she feared what they would say. Being one or the other seemed acceptable in this village, but what would this chief say when Beata told him that she was both? She didn't know how to explain herself, and it worried her greatly. Still, Hiccup and Astrid seemed nice enough to her. Toothless trusted them, so she was willing to do the same.

Hiccup didn't notice her worries but looked to his best friend. "Well, bud, she's awake and just fine. Wanna go for a quick circuit after I finish at the shop?"

The drake seemed to think it over, and his green eyes flickered to Beata. _"You will be all right alone?"_ he asked, a rumble to the chief but not to her. The concern was obvious in his gaze, and the maiden felt somewhat embarrassed at the attention she was getting. It was something she wasn't used to.

"I'm okay," she assured Toothless. "I've stopped shivering, so I'll be fine until you both get back." She smiled at the dragon. "Go and stretch those wings. Surely being curled up for so long would make it a relief to get some exercise?"

_"True. I'll go, then. Ask if you need anything."_ The Fury stood up as Astrid returned with the box of tools. She gave Toothless an affectionate rub on the head and followed him outside of the house. Hiccup waited behind for a moment to speak with Beata alone.

"No one else knows that you're here, for now," he told her. "I didn't want them asking questions that we didn't know the answer to, or to put you under pressure."

"Thank you, sir," the maiden replied. It was very thoughtful of him, and she was certain that she didn't want to be the subject of stares and whispers all over again. Not yet.

The chief, who was hardly any older than her, smiled a little in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head. "You can call me Hiccup. "Sir" seems a little too much, ya know?"

"Perhaps now, but I'm thinking you'll grow into it." Beata smiled at him, and Hiccup nodded quickly before glancing to the door, trying to hide a redness in his cheeks. His guest, with a light smile, let him believe she did not see it. Instead, she asked, "Does this mean I must stay indoors at all times?"

"Well…" He didn't want her to feel like a prisoner, but he didn't want a mob, either. "Wait until my mother comes home, and she can give you a tour then if she thinks people won't be too crazy."

"Understood."

"Are you able to stand?" he asked, looking at her concernedly. "Or do you need help sitting on the bench?"

Beata smiled at his considerate nature. "I might need some assistance, thanks." She accepted the hand he held out to her, noting its warmth and its strength, before rising from the cocoon of furs and blankets. Upon standing, her legs shook the slightest, threatening to collapse. Beata forced them to hold her weight with a glare and looked to Hiccup, finding him blushing furiously. Raven brow raised, the dragon-child followed his gaze to her outfit, which she finally realized was a long midnight blue nightdress. It was her turn to blush. She knew that she had to have had her clothes changed after being in the frigid water in the cove. What she did not expect was to wake up in a dress, especially with a somewhat low cut for the chest. Another thing she did not ever think about was how a man would react to her in such an outfit. She had always thought herself a freak, but here she felt like a person. It made her smile at the chief's actions. His awkwardness and fumbling with a large fur blanket was endearing; the decency with which he treated her was quite admirable.

Hiccup did not recall what Valka had put Beata in, so when he found that she was wearing a nightgown it gave him quite the surprise. What made him more flustered was that he had the thought of how beautiful she looked in it. Fearing the wrath of his guest or his fiancé, the young chief hastily picked up the first cover he could and handed them to Beata. She was blushing as well, but smiled in thanks as she wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. Hiccup felt relieved that she wasn't offended at his averted gaze and helped the maiden reach the bench by the wall. He quickly filled her mug with tepid water and handed it to her.

"Do you want me to stoke the fire for you before I go?" he asked.

"Only a little," she replied. "I don't want to keep you from your duties."

"It's fine, I can run there pretty fast enough or take Toothless." The chief put several of the smaller logs into the fire, made sure that the flames were going, and headed for the door. "I'll be back later. Glad you're feeling better, Beata."

"Thanks." The young woman watched him go and noticing the metal prosthetic where his left foot should've been. Thinking to ask him later, she smiled as he crossed the room and exit the house, closing the door behind him. When he was outside, a flash of fist caught him in the left shoulder. Instantly, he winced and held his arm, hissing in pain.

"Ouch! Why would you do that?" he demanded.

Astrid huffed. "That's for ogling her," she replied. Then her lips lightly brushed his left cheek. "And that's for being kind to her." She smirked at the young man's defeated sigh and gave him a moderate shove in the direction of the forge. "Go, you idiot. You've kept the village waiting long enough."

"Right, right. Toothless, wanna give a friend a hand?" The Night Fury stretched his wings in anticipation, and after his rider mounted he launched himself into the air for a quick glide to the shop. Astrid watched them go and shook her head before walking toward her house to train with her own reptilian companion.

* * *

**Yay! A longer chapter!**

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and favorites, everyone! I'm happy with all the followers, too! In answer to my posting schedule, I'll try to get a chapter in once a week for as long as I can, but fall quarter is coming ever closer, so I'm probably going to be delayed starting around late September, definitely by October. Hope to keep up and make sure that each chapter is edited to the best of my ability before posting.**

**Reviews and favorites are welcome! :D**

**Stay amazing, readers! 3**

**~RedWolf210**


	6. Questions

Chapter 6: Questions

Valka returned to the house in the late afternoon, bringing some fresh fish and bread for her family and guest. Gobber had wanted to ask about why Hiccup took so long, especially when the youth gave her a nod when she looked in askance. The woman had refused to acknowledge the hammer-handed viking's hints for gossip, and her one toss of a particularly heavy saddle to him without warning was all it took to keep him quiet. By then he had tried to reach his own conclusions and ended up with an amused smirk on his face.

"Say, didn't Astrid run off tuh da house before Hiccup did this mornin'?" he had pried. "She didn't come back wit him after so long. Why do ya think dat is?"

Valka had sighed and given him a scolding look. "Astrid is a good girl, and Hiccup is a respectable viking."

"Then why was he redder than a dragon when ya asked if all was well?"

"He's still young. They have their reasons for acting the way they do, but I know nothin' serious happened in that house."

At least, Valka had hoped that was the case. Thankfully her son had assured her that everything was fine before he went off to exercise Toothless. Apparently Astrid didn't mind their strange guest once Hiccup had explained the situation.

Valka paused at the door to her house, shuffling her baskets as she tried to open the door. Before she could finish freeing a hand, the large oak door swung out towards her. She took a step back and around the wood and peered inside to see the raven haired girl standing before her. Glacial blue eyes watched her for a moment before they warmed with a smile that softened her initially stoick appearance.

"You must be Hiccup's mother," she said, her voice gentle yet strangely powerful.

"Call me Valka, and you must be Beata," the woman replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thanks. Need help with those?"

"That'd be mighty kind of ya." Valka watched as Beata took the basket of fish, a formidable mass when intending to feed two dragons some treats along with the family, and carrying it with relative ease. The two brought their supplies to the table, after which Beata offered to put more logs onto the fire.

"It's no trouble," the guest insisted. "I've been needing exercise so I can recover from my condition." Beata felt warmed by the movement thus far, and Valka's concern for her warmed her heart. Being able to revive the fire was satisfying, making the Valkyrie feel more useful. She offered to help with the cooking as well, but the woman insisted that she was capable of the work.

"Besides," Valka said and nodded to the maiden's current outfit, "I believe you would prefer tuh wear something besides the nightdress."

Beata blushed. "I would." She took the directions to the mother's room and found herself some clothes to wear. They weren't a perfect fit, being a little long on her arms and legs. Still, she felt more comfortable with unlimited motion in the pants and shirt. Missing her old gear, the dragon-child made note to ask about retrieving her bag and weapons belt. She went back downstairs to find Valka roasting several fish over the lower part of the fire. She kept two salmons on the side, and their massive forms made Beata's eyes grow wide.

"Those fish can feed a family for several days!" she breathed.

"Or they can settle the stomach of two hungry dragons," the other woman laughed. "The fish will need some time to cook, so why don't I take you out to see Cloud Jumper?"

"Cloud Jumper?" The name made her tilt her head in curiosity. "Is that your dragon?"

"He is my oldest friend, yes. Come, I think you'll like him." Valka took Beata's hand and pulled her along steadily, not forceful or timid. When they reached the door, Beata had her pause for a moment. The woman looked in askance, green eyes bright while her hand found a rather eccentric-looking walking staff.

"Aren't I supposed tuh stay indoors until I was introduced tuh the village?" she asked.

Valka waved her free hand dismissively. "Oh the people will only ask your name. Say you have traveled far to visit Berk, which is true, is it not?"

"Well, yes...Did Hiccup tell you?"

"Only a little before he left with Toothless. Come, ol' Cloud Jumper never ventures far." The woman watched the skies with keen focus, searching for a sign of her dragon. She led Beata around the house to the back, where the forest resumed. As they went along, Beata studied the strange cane in Valka's other hand. It took Beata a moment to realize that it was a curved staff, covered in shells and holes with small flat stones embedded loosely in them. Without warning, Valka halted in the better part of the clearing between the house and the forest, raised her staff and twirled it several times before slamming the head of the object to the grass.

A roar came from the skies in answer to the rattling, whistling sounds that the staff made while in motion. A gust of wind met the two vikings, and Beata shielded her eyes from flying leaves and dirt. When she lowered her arm, a large dragon stood before them. Its scales were a pale blue-grey that transitioned to red when approaching the spines on his back and just above his head, overlapping where the brows would be. Tendrils were on either side of its face, also red like a late sunset. It had no forelegs but claw-tipped wings that allowed it to come closer to Valka and Beata. Golden eyes looked to the mother, and the dragon crooned in greeting. Valka smiled and went to the great beast, who looked over twenty meters long, perhaps rivaling Flame Runner.

"It's good to see you, too, my friend," the woman cooed, stroking the brow spines as she did. "Cloud Jumper, this girl here is Beata, and she is a friend, too." The drake stepped closer, and Beata met him halfway, hand held out, relaxed and palm-down. She smiled when he sniffed her hand, then beamed as the dragon nudged it affectionately.

"He's beautiful," she said. "I've never seen this breed before."

"He's a Stormcutter. Very agile in the air, proud, too." Valka petted Cloud Jumper tenderly and laughed as the drake sniffed Beata more freely. "He seems tuh like ya, never seen him so intent bafore."

The brillant orbs looked to the dragon-child curiously after a minute of investigating. _"She has the scent of two dragons upon her,"_ he rumbled to himself. _"A rider, perhaps?"_

Automatically, Beata responded. _"Toothless gave me his body heat so I could recover. He and Hiccup saved me from a cold death. I'm guessing the second scent is mine."_

The Stormcutter blinked. _"She speaks like a dragon? And she smells like one?"_ He tilted his head, seemingly at an angle only an owl could do. _"Strange creature, how did you learn my language?"_

_"Wait, your language?"_ Beata felt her stomach flip. She was speaking like a dragon, and a viking was with her. Her blue eyes went to Valka, who was watching with fascination. The dragon-child searched for any hint of fear, but there was none in that green gaze. If anything, there was a glimmer of hope.

"You can...communicate, directly, with dragons?" the woman asked slowly, hesitantly.

"Umm...I guess so…" Beata tried to find words as she watched the woman staring at her and the Stormcutter. Finally, when Valka did not speak, she asked, "You're...not afraid of me? Disgusted?"

"No! Of course not!" The idea was terrible to the dragon enthusiast, who had lived with the beasts for two decades. She knew the dragons well, and her staff was how she communicated with the creatures she had befriended. To find someone who could bridge that gap without tools, like the young woman before her… She spoke her opinion as she smiled at the maiden. "Who would see it as something wrong? I think it's a gift, a wonderful gift. How did you learn of it?"

"I...have known it by instinct, I suppose. I always thought that most dragons can understand us, that when I spoke it was no different than talking with other vikings. Back in Stein, my home tribe, dragons never came so close to us. We suffered few raids, mostly because of our arrows and spears, directed by some of the best marksmen. I never had the chance to see a dragon up close, though I was always in awe of them."

Beata paused. She should tell them her past? Would they understand? She looked to Cloud Jumper worriedly. _"What do you think of me, friend?"_ she asked.

_"I see a troubled dragon who needs to let others help her."_ His amber gaze went to the chief's mother. _"Valka is strong and compassionate. I trust her completely. She will not harm you if you tell the truth. I promise."_

Valka looked calmly between the two. It was clear to her that Beata felt more secure with dragons, and they with her. Questions flooded her mind, but she kept them back, watching patiently. She knew better than to rush someone who was so accustomed to living with dragons and not people. Eventually the outsider faced Valka again, took a deep breath, and spoke in Norse. "About five years ago, I went hunting with my foster brothers. A Deadly Nadder came upon our kill, and that was when I discovered that I could talk to dragons. She explained that their queen was sick, that she was out hunting for all she could to keep the Grand Queen's strength."

_"The Grand Queen?!"_ the drake interrupted, a small roar heard by his partner. Cloud Jumper stepped closer to Beata once again, sniffing her more urgently.

_"What?"_ the maiden asked. The second woman said the same, though in the human language.

_"I didn't think of it, but I thought your scent strange to be from one dragon."_ He soon leaned back with a sneeze. _"There are three scents upon you, child. The Grand Queen had marked you as hers. Did the dragons on your journey act kind to you?"_

_"Yes...is that why?"_

"What? What is going on?" Valka asked.

"Cloud Jumper says that I have the scent of the Grand Queen. By the name, I'm sure she's powerful."

_"She rivals the Great Bewilderbeast,"_ the drake explained. _"I've only heard of her from my parents. She was one of the first dragons that came into existence, and she could control thousands of dragons with little effort."_

"Amazing," Valka said after Beata relayed the words. "Have you met her, Beata?"

"No. Well, when I was a babe, I did...I think. One of my earliest memories was her voice, telling me I was destined for great things, that she and the gods wanted me to be the hope for our kind…" She frowned pensively at the memories she had seen in her dreams since she could remember, then looked to the woman. "Do you think that I'm crazy?"

"I believe that the gods gave vikings their gifts for a reason. Hiccup and I were given the compassion and strength needed to befriend and bond with dragons, so why shouldn't they 'ave given ya the ear and voice of a dragon? We're in need of someone like you, and you've come none too sooner."

Her words made Beata sigh in relief. She didn't have to explain herself further as far as Valka was concerned, which lifted a great weight from the youth's shoulders. "Perhaps that is why they have sent me here," she replied aloud.

Valka smiled at the change of tension in her guest's body language: Beata had shifted to a more relaxed stance, and her smile was gentler, softening her wary features. Seeing her poised to run at the mention of her talent, the dragon rider could only wonder at what had happened when Beata's secret was exposed to other humans. Valka figured that the bruises and cuts all over the maiden's body were a clue to the viking reaction, along with what Hiccup had told her about being cast out from her own tribe. Sympathy rose within the woman, and she made a silent promise to keep the newcomer's secret gift to herself until Beata was willing to show it to the world.

"Should we go check on the food, ma'am?" The raven haired woman's question brought Valka out of her reverie. She looked to Beata, whose blue eyes were watching her with a measure of respect and affection. Realizing that she was most likely the first person to accept her ability to talk to dragons as a true blessing, the chief's mother smiled warmly and nodded her head.

"Ah, right ya are. Cloud Jumper, I brought ya a treat, so go 'round tuh the front, would ya?" The Stormcutter gave an excited purr and moved along around the house while Valka and Beata took the back door. As they re-entered the building, the traveler could not help but feel a little guilty about not telling the full truth to her host. Still, why tell them when she didn't know the truth herself? Best to be safe, she believed, repeating it to herself the entire time while waiting for the the chief and his friend to come home.

* * *

Hiccup and Toothless returned at around sunset. During their flight, the two had practiced several maneuvers with solo gliding. There had been improvement, but there were still several bad landings. The young chief had a few scrapes on his palms and helmet, but that was to be expected. He stretched after dismounting the dragon and greeted the other dragon resting at the front of the house. "Heya, Cloud Jumper."

The Stormcutter made a warbling sound in his throat, a smile on his face. Toothless grinned back, gums bared. Laughter erupted from inside the building, and all three beings started. Curiosity in his eyes, the chief walked up to the door and opened it. The Night Fury followed Hiccup into the house, and the two of them were met by the sight of Beata doubled over at her seat on the bench, laughing. Valka was sitting beside her, also trying to regain her breath, wiping a tear from her eye.

"And from then on," his mother gasped, "the little ones learned never tuh bother ol' Cloud Jumper during his nap." The laughter continued for a moment, but the two Valkyries looked over toward the entryway and smiled. "Oh, there ya are."

"Welcome back," Beata greeted.

Hiccup heard the sincerity and warmth behind the words and smiled. "Thank you, ma'am," he said with a bow. Toothless did the same, and Beata laughed lightly. The two made their way further into the house after closing the door, and Valka led them to the table, where the cooked fish had been cooling to a tolerable temperature. The three vikings ate at the table while Toothless savored his salmon treat nearby.

After a few minutes of silence, Valka asked her son, "So, where'd ya go today?"

"We flew around close by, practicing solo gliding," Hiccup relied. "After that we patrolled with the late afternoon watch before heading back here."

His mother nodded. "Good. Any sign of trappers?" The words made Beata's hand pause as she looked up from her plate of roasted fish and bread. She watched carefully as the chief shook his head.

"No, not yet." He looked to their guest. "For months now we've encountered more dragon trappers than before. Since Drago's war failed to take off, trappers have been without a steady employer, but they try to find a profit where they can get it."

Valka shook her head. "Like any other great beast, dragons are being hunted for their skins, their horns, their teeth. These are in high demand in further lands, and so trappers have expanded into ours tuh take what they can get."

Beata felt her stomach quiver at the memory of Blackbeard and his crew, and she looked back at her food, suddenly not so hungry. Hiccup noticed her pallor and white-knuckled grip onto the edge of the table and gave a concerned frown.

"Are you okay, Beata?" he asked.

"Yeah, just seen some of the wares trappers sold and heard the stories they told. Also...I met a group of trappers around Berk."

"Where?" Valka questioned. "We've patrollers that do circuits every day."

"I don't know where exactly. I ran from their base, which was somewhere in the north."

"Were they the ones who injured you and threw you into the cove?" Hiccup's hazel-green eyes were hard, angry not at his guest but at her circumstance.

"Well, yes." Beata pushed the fish around her plate with her remaining bit of bread, obviously not interested in the food. "I got caught in one of their traps, and they believed I was a dragon rider. They wanted tuh bring me in and lure my dragon, which I told them I didn't have. They weren't kind at all when dragging me along, as you can see." She gestured to the bruises on her face.

"Then how did ya get tuh the pond?" Valka asked.

"I managed to escape the net, and I was hunted down by the trappers. They chased me for a long time. It was dark, so I ended up leaping as far as I could over thin air. I was so afraid of them I guess I had more momentum than I thought." The young woman shook with the memory of the fall and her landing. "After that I just remember the cold."

"We must've found you a while later," Hiccup said. He scowled at the events and mumbled, "I would think that the patrol would've found any traps earlier in the day."

"It was quite hidden, actually," the guest supplied. "I wouldn't have noticed it if I wasn't caught in it. I was hunting for a meal when I got snared, ended up leaving all my gear abandoned in the forest." She looked to the chief and asked, "Would you, or someone you trust, be able tuh help me recover my supplies tomorrow?"

The young man nodded slowly, thinking about who to send. After several moments he answered, "I'll have Eret take you. His dragon can help track your things, and he can disable any traps you find on the way. I can take you to him in the morning before his patrol, and he can give you tour while he's at it. Think that you'll be well enough for some flying?"

"Sounds like a plan, and I'm sure that I should be able tuh survive a day on dragon-back." Beata bobbed her head in agreement with herself, keeping in mind that she would need plenty of rest tonight to be able to sit on a flying dragon. With that expectation in mind, the maiden found her appetite once again and finished her plate. Valka smiled at the two, glad that they were getting along. She also agreed with Hiccup's logic. Having their guest take a tour with one of their newest recruit was a good idea for giving Beata a place to feel comfortable. When the three finished their meals, Hiccup and Valka retired to their rooms, leaving Beata with the bench as the guest bed. Toothless lingered a moment longer, making sure that she was settled.

_"So the trappers attacked you?"_ he asked, a small growl bubbling. He watched as the maiden changed into her sleeping clothes, noting the stiffness in her movements as she worked with her still-tender muscles and getting angrier with each sound of discomfort.

_"Well, yes,"_ she replied quietly as she could, not wanting to alarm Hiccup. _"I tried to escape, so they beat me down. Their goal was to draw the dragon they thought I had with my cries. I threatened to call in the riders if they refused to let me go, and so they wanted to keep me as theirs."_ The dragon-child shuddered. _"They were quite terrifying."_

_"Perhaps I should go and see these trappers."_ Green eyes formed into slits. _"No one should harm another like they do."_ It made him furious to think of the bruises on the girl's arms and face, the pained whimpers she had made in her sleep that morning. Before he could say more, a soft, warm hand rested on his nose. The Night Fury blinked and saw the gentle blue eyes of the young woman he saved, the one he believed in his heart was a dragon.

_"Peace, my friend,"_ she purred, her voice suddenly so silken and gentle that Toothless automatically relaxed. Her smile was dazzling, her blue eyes nearly glowing with the firelight. Never, breaking eye contact, he mimicked her slow inhale and exhale. _"Relax, good. I am grateful for your care and your concern, Toothless. Remember, though, that an alpha cares for his own. I'm not sure what I am, so until then, focus on who you know is your own. As of now, I am a lone viking. My village turned its back on me, and I have been on my own for some time. I am not so weak; I can handle myself fine. I will take back what is mine and return to see this haven you and your friend have created."_ Beata slowly stroked the top of his head. _"Now, go rest. I'm sure Hiccup is a little jealous that I have stolen you for as long as I have."_

His initial fire gone, Toothless nudged the maiden gently. _"Very well, Beata,"_ he rumbled. _"I do believe you are one of us, but if you must think it over, I will not stop you. I'll be upstairs if you need anything."_

"Thank you," she replied in Norse. Watching the Night Fury go up the steps, Beata smiled at the drake's words before she went to her makeshift bed. She layered the oak bench with two blankets before lying upon it with the rest of the blankets over her. Sleep claimed her surprisingly easy, feeling warm and cared about for the first time in many years.


	7. You Again?

**Hello all!**

**Just wanted to thank you for all the reviews and favorites as well as for following my story. This chapter is pretty long, so I hope it'll tie you over until I can update again (hopefully by next week). A little warning: I'm not an expert at Berk's geography, so if something seems off, don't hurt me. I tried to be practical on distance and time, and what I couldn't see of the island through the movies I made up. You have been forewarned, so please don't go on a giant rant about the lay of the land. I did the best I could with what I found.**

**Also, there's minor language, but nothing too excessive.**

**Now my spiel is over, so ENJOY THE CHAPTER!**

**~RedWolf210**

* * *

Chapter 7: You Again?

Beata woke up an just before dawn and went to the corner to change into her borrowed traveling clothes. She felt rather naked without her leather armor, but the severed straps would require new leather and her sewing kit to repair. Even then it was questionable as to how the patchwork would hold up. She shook her head dismissively: she wouldn't need armor for a simple circuit around the area and tracking down her abandoned items.

Hiccup came down the stairs as soon as Beata finished re-braiding her hair and greeted her good morning. Toothless was close behind, greeting their guest as well with a happy rumble that was returned with an affectionate scratching.

"He really likes ya," Hiccup said with an amused smile before patting the drake's head. "Normally he has this way of testing people to earn his trust."

"Perhaps my fall and my weakened state has shown him I'm no threat." Beata shrugged, and the viking gave a thoughtful frown before nodding and heading to the table. The maiden accepted the offered bread and cheese for breakfast with a smile, nibbling on it as she and Toothless watched Hiccup gather the saddle, harness and prosthetic for the drake. She tried to suppress a laugh as he went about it with some bread in his teeth, munching on it as he went along. With quiet attention, Beata observed the chief of Berk outfit his flying companion with the ensemble, eyes alight with interest.

"How long did it take ya tuh make those?" she finally asked.

"Oh, this?" Hiccup gestured to all of the dragon's things. "Took about a week or so for the prototypes; it's refined every so often, so I don't keep exact track anymore. Still thinking of new things for it even now, really." He stood back and watched as Beata took a closer look at the leatherwork and system of lines and triggers. The way in which she observed every detail, testing all the strengths of leather, lifting the handles of the saddle and opening the fan of the fabricated tailfin, made him smile. Her amazement with the rigging made him feel especially proud. His inventions weren't exactly praised in the beginning, but now Berk had come to like his ingenuity. Beata seemed to instantly appreciate the work he did, and it made him happy.

"This is so incredible," she breathed, finishing her inspection at the night Fury's head. "It must've taken forever to get this one into the first harness."

"You have no idea," he laughed. Toothless huffed indignantly but nudged his rider affectionately. "Well, he got used it, that's for sure. Com'mon, we should get to Eret's house before he takes off."

"Right." She followed the two Berkians outside of the house, and the young woman was caught by surprise when Toothless crouched onto the ground to let Hiccup on his back. The chief grinned and pulled himself onto the saddle. Once he settled himself, he put on a helmet that covered his face and cranium. When he looked to her, Beata nearly jumped at the sight of the spikes that replaced his deep auburn hair and the seemingly glaring gaze that the holes in the mask made to hide his intelligent hazel-green eyes. With the full leather armor over his torso, black like his Night Fury, the spines jutting from the sleeves, and the matching red logo to the white one on the drake's tail, Hiccup looked quite the viking. He held out his hand to the raven haired maiden, his voice still the same through his helmet, if somewhat muffled.

"Eret lives on the other side of the village, but it's on the way for today's duties, so I can drop ya off," he explained.

The idea of flying made Beata grin. She took his hand and let him haul her onto Toothless's saddle. Finding no immediate purchase for a passenger, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around the chief's waist and tensed, prepared for the launch.

"You've been on dragonback before, right?" he asked, glancing back at her.

"Yes, but on a Monstrous Nightmare, and by myself." The Valkyrie smiled somewhat nervously. "Any advice for riding a Night Fury?"

"Hang on tight, and just move with him. He goes a little fast, but we don't have to travel far." He gave her entwined fingers a brief, solid squeeze in assurance before taking grip of the handles on his saddle. The young viking had a feeling she would be fine and looked to Toothless. "Okay, bud, let's go."

_"Hold on,"_ the drake warned. Beata felt the muscles beneath her tense, and Toothless launched himself into the air. Leathery wings snapped out, catching the wind and propelling them higher and faster. It was a brief ride, certainly, but the traveler was sure that the Night Fury was much different from the Nightmare.

The trio arrived at one of the newer houses as a tall man in a light grey fur vest emerged from the house. Hiccup hollered in greeting, and his Night Fury roared as well. The man looked up at them and waved. Toothless landed smoothly in front of the house, and the chief waited as the villager approached. Beata noted his long black hair was tied back, trailing behind his large shoulders. Dark brown eyes looked to Hiccup, and a genial smile came to his face, emphasizing his chiseled, tattooed chin. "Chief," the man greeted, "what brings ya here this mornin'?"

"Hey Eret," Hiccup said. "Glad I caught ya. About to head out on patrol?"

"Yes, actually. I was about to go fetch Skullcrusher and go for an early start. What's up?"

"Well, I was hoping you could help our guest, Beata Blomgren." The young man gestured to the girl behind him, then he pointed between the two as he made introductions. "Beata, this is Eret, Son of Eret."

The raven haired maiden smiled at the viking and inclined her head. "Good morning, Eret," she greeted. Finally hearing her voice, Eret met her glacial blue eyes and was startled by her placid beauty. She was definitely a face that he had not seen in the village before, but the way she sat so easily on the Night Fury's back made it look like she belonged there. There was a strength in her presence, which Eret approved of. Ever the charmer, the man gave a gracious bow.

"Pleasure to meet you, my lady," he replied, looking up to see her smile. He gave a confident beam in return. Unbeknownst to him, Toothless gave a low warning rumble. Hiccup wordlessly gave the drake a pat on the side of the neck, soothing him.

Eret looked back to the chief and asked, "So, what can I help with?"

"I need to find my gear that I left in the forest while hunting," Beata answered instead. "Hiccup says that your dragon can track my things, is that true?"

"Most certainly, ma'am. Skullcrusher has a great sense of smell and will track anythin' tuh the ends of the world." His brown eyes looked to Hiccup. "Anything else?" he asked.

"Well, after your patrol, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could give her a tour. If you have other things to do by then, you can have her stop by the forge to see me."

"Done!" Eret held a hand out to Beata. "Shall we go meet my dragon, then?"

"Of course." She carefully accepted his help and hopped off the Night Fury. The Valkyrie paused within arm's length of the dragon, somewhat nervous but recovering her composure quickly enough. She looked to the chief and said her farewell. "Fly safe, both of you."

"Will do," replied Hiccup. Toothless gave a doubtful rumble and an eyeroll. The viking looked down at his friend and asked, "What? We're very careful." The drake sneezed, and the chief sighed, but Beata could hear a laugh beneath it. With a pat on the shoulder, Hiccup urged the Night Fury on his way. Once they were a speck in the sky, the maiden looked to her guide.

"So, where is Skullcrusher?" she prompted.

"Right this way." Eret took the lead, and Beata followed, noting how he was nearly a head taller than her. He walked with confidence, head held high. He gestured to buildings, naming them as they went along to the stables, where his dragon was kept. "So, Beata, what brings ya here to Berk?" he asked as they walked.

"Well, the elder of my village told me that I would be happier in the east, so when I felt that I was no longer happy at home, I left." She shrugged as nonchalantly as she could when he glanced at her. Her gaze flickered to the skies as some dragons flew from a side of a cliff below and just up ahead, their bodies dark shapes in the ever-lightening sky. Eret followed her gaze, frowning the slightest at her answer.

"All by yerself?" His voice echoed in the underground stairway, descending into the cliffside. The walls were relatively cool, and torches lit the way down, allowing Beata to notice the somewhat new carvings of dragons along the stone surfaces to either side of her.

"I can handle myself. Especially when I get hold of my weapons again." By this time they arrived at a large cavern, where the hissing and echos of dragons were thick. Given time to focus on them, Beata was able to detect the many voices and discerned them as morning greetings and general talk, as one would hear in a village's great hall.

"Alright, so you've been around other dragons before, right?" Eret clarified.

"Yes, several times." She gave the man an assuring smile. "And I am not afraid."

Given what he had seen of her reaction so far to the presence of dragons, Eret believed her. He nodded, led them inside the stables and watched as the newcomer stared at the facilities with a growing smile. In all honesty, he had expected her to panic with the hundreds of dragons sleeping and roosting in the large cave. Seeing and interacting with a single dragon was one thing, facing a good mass of them was another. Still, her eyes went to all the creatures with no fear, just pure delight. Her awe of the place and its occupants intrigued the viking, but what surprised him more was the way the dragons reacted to her presence.

The constant hissing and cawing of the stables stilled into a strange silence, and all draconic eyes were on the two of them. Chills went up Eret's spine as he was subjected to such intense gazes. Beata looked to the multitude of eyes and slowly inclined her head to all of them. "Pleased to meet all of you, dragons of Berk," she said in a voice that was no louder than speaking to Eret, but the viking heard her words echo throughout the chamber. It rang into nothing, and the dragons all seemed to wait for her to speak. "I am Beata, and Eret is here to assist me in retrieving my supplies. Both the alphas of this home have granted me passage, and I promise not to intrude upon anyone."

To his amazement, all the dragons bowed their heads in acceptance. Beata simply smiled and asked, "May the one called Skullcrusher please come forward? Eret and I require your mighty wings."

Gaping at the young woman, the man watched as the dragons slowly went about their business as part of the crowd parted for the old Rumblehorn to lumber forward. Skullcrusher was a large, sturdy dragon. His armored hide was an iridescent green tinted with red, and his anatomy resembled a rhino and large beetle. The dragon came toward Eret and his charge, greeting the former with a slow-motion headbutt. The viking laughed at the hello and rubbed the horned snout of the drake affectionately. "Mornin'," he said to Skullcrusher. He then remembered what happened before and looked to Beata. "What did you do just now? Gettin' all the dragons' attention like that?"

"I introduced myself to them and told them my purpose," she replied with a shrug. "I am a stranger in their territory. If I didn't show respect, they would have tried to challenge me."

Eret gave the young woman a sidelong glance while locating his dragon's saddle. "So you've worked personally with dragons before? You seem to know how to act around them, like Valka, only she is silent the entire time."

"I've been walking through lands for over five years. I'm bound tuh learn a thing or two living in the wild." She held a hand out to Skullcrusher, who sniffed it with interest. "And you are the second dragon I've met that is new tuh me. So strong looking, just like your friend here."

Eret accepted the compliment as graciously as he could, though he fumbled with the leather straps of the saddle for a moment. "His first rider was a lot stronger than me," he admitted. "A good man, a true Viking."

Beata noted the hint of regret in the man's voice. The Rumblehorn whined in sympathy and nudged his rider gently. His pale orange eyes flickered to her blue ones. _"He does his best to care for me after my rider's passing. Very kind, he is."_

The maiden smiled softly at the drake, stroking his snout soothingly and looked to his rider. "Looks like Skullcrusher appreciates your kindness to him. He seems very happy with you."

"And I with him." Eret finished tying on the saddle and mounted the dragon. "Well, shall we go, now that you've introduced yourself?"

"As you wish." She took her guide's arm and joined him on the dragon, wrapping her arms around his waist as she did with Hiccup. Large wings carried them out of the stables and into the bluing sky. By now, the village had come to life, men and women walking around amongst the houses and docks. Dragons also took to the skies, roaring greetings to one another as they passed.

"So," Eret prompted. "Where did ya lose your things, Beata?"

"North, perhaps a little to the west."

"Great, that's on the route. We can fly for about twenty minutes on the patrol trail before you have to start tuh be more specific. In the meantime, I can answer any questions you have."

"Alright. How long has Berk been allied with dragons?"

"About five years I believe, nearly six."

"Only six years? The village seems really well adapted to their presence, what with all those feeding stations and stables you pointed out."

The viking shrugged. "We have an imaginative chief who will think of ideas to help both man, woman, and dragon."

"I see." The wind from the flight was biting into her arms and legs. She was thankful that her gloves had survived the fall and were protecting her hands, but she wished she had her cloak. Trying to ignore the cold and resist the urge to rub her numbing arms, she asked another question. "So everyone was fine with being in the company of dragons?"

"Not in the beginning. Every sensible viking fears dragons, but then we here in Berk found out how kind and intelligent they can be. Now we live together with mutual respect, and everyone's happier that way."

Beata nodded at the explanation. "I suppose it helps when you have a young chief who is open to different possibilities of life." She smiled warmly at the recollection of Hiccup's closeness to Toothless and the returned sentiment. Valka's friendship with Cloud Jumper was also a bright, hopeful image in the stranger's mind. Remembering the conversation the night before, the maiden asked, "Have these patrols been established recently? I've heard that the trappers have only been encroaching these past few months?"

"Well, trappers have been around for a long time, but they haven't been this far south before. Once we found them in the Isle of Berk, Hiccup had us begin routine patrols of the island to make sure that they aren't making a go at our dragons."

"How large is this perimeter that you patrol?"

"About 300 kilometers all around, I think. Takes about eight hours for a complete circuit at a moderate speed, but patrollers can change their speed as they like so long as they pay attention to their surroundings. Dragons can help with the watch, too, allowing them to finish their patrol at around four hours."

"That's amazing," Beata commented. "Are there specific breeds of dragons that are speicalized for patrol?"

"Well, Nadders, Nightmares and Zipplebacks are very manageable in flight, all the better with their abilities, too. A Night Fury is very quick and can easily breeze through the patrol rounds without feeling tired, though Toothless takes his rounds with an easy pace for him and Hiccup to spot the area well enough."

"Do they patrol often?"

"They do their best. Hiccup is chief now, so he can't go around as freely as before. Sometimes Astrid takes Toothless on patrol to give him some exercise."

"Really? I figured he couldn't fly without Hiccup to steer the tail, what with his...well..." She didn't want to broach a sensitive subject regarding the chief's missing left foot, in case he was touchy about it. She tried to rephrase her sentence. "I looked at the mechanism on the pedal, and it doesn't look like anyone else could control the tail."

Eret had sensed her awkwardness and gave her a quick assuring glance. "Hiccup has made different pedals to allow other riders to help Toothless fly. Very considerate given how much time he has to spend away from the dragon at times. It really bothers them both, but they get through it."

Beata thought about that for a moment. It was obvious that the drake and the chief were friends. Toothless clearly respected and cared for his rider, and Hiccup was also kind and attentive to his dragon, shown by the care and genius that went to allowing the Night Fury to fly after his lost tailfin. What made them so close? Perhaps it was the key to the peace she was looking for. "Do you know the story behind those two?" she finally asked, trying not to sound prying but no less curious.

"Not really, tuh be honest. I've only been in Berk for 'bout three months."

"Oh? Where did you come from?"

"Some distance off, a place and time that I don't really want to talk about." The viking glanced away from his gaze from the pine forest rushing below them to make eye contact with her. His brown eyes clearly conveyed his stance on the matter, and Beata looked away, ashamed.

"Very well, Eret. Forgive me for asking."

He looked away, resuming his scanning of the terrain. "No problem. Thanks for not pushing it." The flight continued in silence for a while - Skullcrusher began turning of his own accord, and Eret leaned with it, their passenger following suit. While waiting for a better moment to continue the conversation, Beata watched the sky, clouds seemingly an arm's reach away, and the trees, passing by them with a gentle rushing of leaves. Deciduous trees were trying desperately to hold on to their leaves, though most have begun to surrender to the inevitable winter. Some of the tops of the trees were bare and sharp looking to the eye. Considering the speed that they were going, along with the position of the sun, Beata decided to venture a more pertinent question.

"Will Skullcrusher be able to fly low and seek out my gear? I already gave him my scent, and I recall abandoning my supplies in a grove of birch trees."

"I'm sure he'll find it. If anything he can track the general area, and we'll look on foot from there."

"That's fine. I marked a trail while I was hunting then. If we're in the right place, I can use them to find my things."

Impressed, the viking stole a glance behind him. "Are ya a trapper?"

"No." The word came as a snarl, and the Valkyrie reigned in her temper. Then she amended, "I don't hunt dragons, anyway. Hunting is something I'm good at, tracking and archery are my strongest abilities."

"...I see." His hesitation made the young woman feel guilty for making him uncomfortable yet again, but he continued, "How did ya end up in Berk without yer supplies, anyway?"

It was her turn to hesitate. "While hunting, I was taken by some dragon trappers. By the time I escaped, it was dark and I had no way to find my gear."

Eret winced at the telling. Remembering the fading bruise on her cheek, he murmured a weak, "I see." He looked at the forest below and patted his dragon's shoulder. "Okay, Skullcrusher, fly low now. Keep an eye out fer trappers an' a nose for Beata's things."

Skullcrusher gave an affirmative rumble before dropping down to a lower altitude, skimming the trees and nostrils flaring. Beata patted the drake in thanks and stared around at the world rushing below them. "Hiccup told me that you'd be able to disable any dragon traps we find while searching. Is that true?"

"That's right. All patrollers were given the basics of dismantling dragon snares and other traps." He watched the air and the ground with a vigilant eye, searching for any glint of metal and suspiciously bent branches. After another fifteen minutes there was an increasing number of birch trees, nearing the grove that the traveler had mentioned, and the drake sniffed the air more quickly, searching for the scent of the maiden riding his back. Eret kept watch of the skies as the Rumblehorn searched, and Beata studied the forest below, wanting to be useful. Spotting a natural feature she remembered, the Valkyrie tapped her guide's leg and pointed below.

"That river, I was listening to it when I was waiting out a rabbit in its burrow. That's where I got caught in a dragon net."

The viking analyzed the approaching area and nodded. "Do you want us to follow it? I'd like to get rid of that trap if those trappers were cocky enough to keep it there."

"Maybe follow it north a ways, but then start heading west. I tracked that rabbit for a good half hour before I found its home. My bow and quiver should be by the burrow, but my other tools would be in the birch forest further west."

"Very well, tell me when tuh land." Eret guided his dragon northward for five more minutes before Beata told him to touch down. Skullcrusher descended and landed in a small clearing surrounded by pine trees. The young woman dismounted the dragon with relative ease and looked around as the dragon rider set foot on the forest floor. She listened to the rushing water of the river, keeping her eyes closed and recalling the direction she had heard it from while hunting. Locking the location in her mind, Beata moved to the left, watching her step as she went. Eret followed close by, and the tracking drake sniffed about. Eventually the beast gave a low rumble and lumbered after a trail. Beata jogged with him, glancing around for anything familiar. Within a few minutes of running, the Valkyrie told the Rumblehorn to halt.

"Careful, Skullcrusher," she warned. "This is where I was captured."

The drake gave a snort of assent and slowed to a stop. He kept sniffing the air and ground while Eret caught up. The viking had gotten tripped up by several roots on the way and was puzzled at the speed in which Beata could maintain with the large dragon. Sure, the drake was just over three meters tall and was mostly a hulking mass of armor, but the breed was rather sneaky, quicker than one would expect.

Still, at the newcomer's words Eret instantly became alert. He glanced around and made a slow circle of the area, analyzing the benefits of laying a trap there. "You said there was a net here before?" he asked.

"That's right. I'm thinking that they figured this a good spot because the water is so close to a patch of afternoon sun. It's a fine place to rest after a flight."

The viking nodded in approval. "Just what I was thinking. You're pretty observant."

"Ya do what ya have tuh for survival. I learned quick to keep tabs on my surroundings." She then glared at the general area with a scowl. "I feel stupid that I didn't notice anything before, though."

"Well, you said you were hunting for a meal. That requires a great deal of focus, so one thing got past ya. Nothing that hasn't happened tuh anyone else."

"Thanks." While Eret looked for any sign of a lingering trap, Beata searched the base of the pine tree she had climbed for her missing weapon of choice. Digging through the needles and leaves, the young woman felt her hopes sink. The trappers must have found her bow and arrows, or perhaps another traveler did. She would have to make a new one, which only came as a minor disappointment. She would have to hunt down some potential wood for her bow and arrow later, and obtain rawhide as well. No matter, Beata was comfortable with reconstructing the materials. Perhaps she could ask Hiccup for some metal arrowheads instead of the stone she had ended up using after the breakage and loss of her original arrows.

"My bow and quiver aren't here," she finally told her guide. "Skullcrusher should be able to track my climbing tree from the ground here, correct?" She stood and turned to find Eret missing. The Valkyrie whispered loudly for him, and the rustling of trees brought her gaze above her. Eret was sawing at the ropes hidden in one of the older, stronger trees. His short sword severed the fibers, letting the bottom piece of the net to fall to the forest floor, useless for trapping any other dragons. Remembering the net and what had happened, Beata went for the lame trap and began pawing through the rotting leaves. After a moment she shifted her search closer to the sound of the river and dug yet again. Her fingertips found the cold, textured handle of a blade, and the maiden smiled triumphantly as she pulled her dagger out of the debris. Eret knelt down to observe the fine carving of runes on the bleached wood. The blade was caked with dirt, but he could still find the shine in it. It was duller than he thought, but if she had been cutting the ropes, anything short of a sword would have dulled. He watched as Beata's smile became sad as she pulled the dagger close to her chest, cradling it.

"It belonged to my grandmother," she murmured quietly, not looking up at him. "She gave it to me before she died. I was only five then."

The Berkian felt a pang of pity and whispered, "I'm sorry, Beata. Glad ya found it, though." He tried to place a cheering note to the words, and the maiden smiled gratefully, her charm striking him once more. Feeling like he should keep her hopes up, he asked, "Shall we go find your other things, then?"

"Sure." Accepting the hand he offered, Eret pulled her onto her feet and nodded to his dragon.

"Find it," he said.

Skullcrusher rumbled and started moving west. As he moved, he flicked a head toward the north. _"I smell your blood there, child,"_ he said. Beata gave a small nod and placed a hand on the drake's flank, urging him to continue west.

"That's where the trappers dragged me," she confirmed in a low voice, human words soft enough for her guide to miss . "My supplies are elsewhere, my friend."

Eret glanced in the direction the Rumblehorn had indicated. He wondered what had attracted the dragon's attention, but when his companion and the maiden resumed their walk in the other direction, he followed. Thinking that it would have been best to fly the distance, he voiced the opinion. "Much quicker that way," he said.

"True, but don't dragon trappers watch the skies for heads?" Beata countered.

Her question gave him pause. She was right, but still. "Are you sure that you haven't been in the trade bafore?" he prodded.

"I have not. I have hunted birds, and it is far easier to shoot them while they're in flight than running amongst the trees." Her blue eyes found him, and their chill made him shiver. "I am not a brute who kills unnecessarily for my own profit. I am not a monster who allows a noble creature to suffer instead of putting it out of its misery. I am not a dragon trapper, Eret. Don't ask such a question of me again."

The gentleness of the raven haired beauty was suddenly gone, and Eret could have sworn that her pupils became slits, if momentarily. He broke away from the gaze on reflex, and Skullcrusher gave a low growl that shook the forest floor briefly. "_Be calm, sister,"_ the drake warned. _"He asks many questions, but he has his reasons. Don't be harsh."_

Beata spun on her heel and kept walking. "I may be an outcast, but I am one of birth, not of occupation. I do not act as those trappers do." Being called a freak, a viking, or a dragon, was one thing. Being accused of torturing and mutilating the bodies of dragons, she would not tolerate. Granted, no one of Berk knew her true history, but was it not logic for hunters to use similar methods, no matter the quarry? The fear she felt of Blackbeard and his men made her feel like prey, and she did not like it one bit. She was a hunter, that was certain, human or dragon. A killer she was, but it was out of necessity, not out of simple greed. Having herself associated with brutes such as those who caught her infuriated her, and for the briefest moment she felt the fire from before flare anew.

Skullcrusher's rumble, however, had brought her back to herself before she could act upon her anger. What she had said aloud was for her benefit as well as Eret's. She was still struggling with her identity, Flame Runner's words echoing inside her head. She absently tracked the marks of the trees, glancing from ground to tree every so often. The Rumblehorn followed closely, tracking and confirming her scent, allowing her to find the trees more easily. Eret trailed after the two in silence, checking behind them and keeping wary of any unexpected encounters.

After another fifteen minutes, Beata recognized the especially thick birch tree that she had chosen as her stashing place. Without a word, she crouched, tensed, and sprung into the air, grabbing onto the lowest branch as she did. Her viking guide watched as she deftly pulled herself up and scurry further into the branches. She kept climbing until the remaining leaves on the tree hid her before the rustling ceased. "They're here," she reported. "A little frosted, but they're intact."

"Alright, shall we continue the rounds, then?" He turned to Skullcrusher and prepared to climb onto the drake when the sound of leaves being trampled halted him. Beata held still in the tree, pressing herself as close to the trunk as she could to hide in the birch's still living foliage. Not risking exposure by looking down, the maiden waited for the newcomers to speak.

"Well, well, if it isn't Eret, Son of Eret," chuckled a man whose voice sent the dragon-girl bristling. It was Blackbeard, who continued, "Is that a gift you have there? You really shouldn't have, lad."

Eret glared at the tall burly viking. "I should've known that those traps were yer handiwork, Ulrik. Crude and miserable, just like ya."

"Oh? Well, I'm one to take criticism kindly, but the cutting of my traps, I cannot allow."

"There is no trapping in this area, Ulrik. Now, I'll let you and yer party have a chance to pack up and go elsewhere, out of this Isle, before I have tuh do something 'bout it."

A set of four laughs guffawed at the threat. Beata carefully peeled a thin branch aside to peer down at the group. The one she thought of as Blackbeard, Ulrik, had the same three men who had been there to find her in the net. Scarface was smirking, eyeing the Rumblehorn, who was slowly positioning himself into a more defensive position whilst ensuring his rider's safety. During the trappers' amusement, Skullcrusher growled low, which Beata heard as a question.

_"Are these the men who tried to take you? Their scent is familiar."_

_"Yes,"_ she replied in a growl of the same pitch, weaving it into his so the hunters would be unaware of it. _"I haven't seen them fight, but they have raw strength like most vikings. Be careful."_

The laughter died down, and Ulrik sneered at Eret. "What do ya plan to do, Son of Eret?" he asked. "I have no reason to fear you, ya traitorous coward, hiding behind a pet dragon."

"I am no coward, and this is my friend, Skullcrusher." The drake snorted with the mention of his name. Eret felt more relieved with the dragon at his back, someone he could trust. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the four vikings. "Last warning: leave, now, or we will send ya off the island ourselves."

"I'd like to see ya try, rat. But instead of using your beast tuh overpower us, prove tuh me that ya aren't a coward. Fight me with your own blade, not a dragon's fangs." The trapper's dark eyes sparked with malice. "Show me that you are still the best dragon wrangler the world has seen, that ya haven't been softened or coddled by a mere lizard!"

The Rumblehorn snarled, but Eret held a hand out to soothe him. "It's okay, friend." He looked to the other three trappers and addressed Ulrik. "And how am I to know that ya won't have yer boys take me down? Let's prove that yer as honorable as you claim, Ulrik. I win, and you and yer party get yerselves off this island."

"And if I win?" prompted the burly viking. Beata saw the man bare his teeth in a manner of a wolf. His men had similar looks on their faces, and it unsettled her. She felt that it was a trap but couldn't say anything without blowing her cover. Forced to wait, she listened for her guide's answer.

"You may have a go at Skullcrusher and take me prisoner. Surely the intel of a dragon rider would make hunting easier?" He held up a hand to forestall questions. "He is not a pet, so he may act out in his defense. Also, I can't just serve up the dragons with a bow on them, what fun would that be fer a real trapper?"

Ulrik laughed. "Ya still know how we think, boy. Perhaps we can turn ya back tuh us after all." The black bearded viking pulled out a large battle axe while his three followers moved to the sides of the area, barely within view or in range of any attacks from the Rumblehorn's bludgeon-tipped tail. Eret stepped away from his dragon, and Skullcrusher rumbled uncertainly and tried to watch all the trappers at the same time.

_"I don't trust them,"_ he growled._ "Listen carefully, sister. Other riders patrol our route. When the trappers make a move to overwhelm Eret, I will distract and scatter them. Then you help Eret and hold them back while I find the next patroller."_

Beata made no sound, but she knew that Skullcrusher was aware that she understood him. She focused her eyes on her guide, flickering her gaze to the trappers every so often. Eret twirled his sword and prepared himself, watching Ulrik closely. The bearded man held his axe to his side, head up and gleaming in the patches of sunlight that found its way to the forest floor. After a minute of circling, Ulrik charged. Eret rolled to the side and came up with a thrust at the trapper's leg. The axe intercepted his strike, and the hook of the head nearly jerked the sword from Eret's hand. While fighting for his blade back, Eret pulled out his knife to block his opponent's dagger. With a twist, both broke away and began circling one another again. Movement caught the corner of Eret's eye, and he found that Skullcrusher was changing his stance to a more advantageous attack position.

Beata watched closely and noticed Scarface circling around the skirmish, knife at the ready but low to his side. The Rumblehorn spotted it as well, and he growled. Erik and the other trapper were closing in on the fight, though to Eret it looked like they were the same distance away as in the beginning. The hunting party kept an eye on the drake as they moved, though only Scarface focused on the dragon's tail. Looking back to the duel, the maiden saw that Eret had changed grip on his knife to signal his intent to use it more than the sword. Noticing that he wanted close quarter combat, Ulrik also shifted grips to reverse his axe as a slashing close range weapon and held his knife as the primary attacking arm. The two vikings charged at each other; Eret ducked beneath the axe's swing and had his thrusting sword deflected by Ulrik's dagger. Without missing the opportunity, Eret shouldered the larger man, throwing him off balance with the leverage and sending them both toppling to the floor. Even as the air left his lungs, the Berkian tucked his weapons away and rolled as fast as he could to the left, missing the axe and dagger completely before the trapper could pull them up to attack.

During the fall, Ulrik's party made a rush for Eret, and the forest shook with a loud bellow. Beata clung to the trunk of the birch she was hiding in while Skullcrusher lashed his tail out in an arc, felling two large birches in the process while causing all the standing trappers to collapse onto the floor to avoid his tail. The trees landed close to the earth, angled slightly as neighboring trees caught them and stumbled as well. A cloud of dust continued to cover the area as the Rumblehorn took flight, and when it cleared Beata saw one of the trappers pinned under a fallen birch, his right leg crushed. Scarface was staggering to his feet; Erik was helping Ulrik up; Eret was coughing while he stood. Being the first to recover, Scarface ran toward Eret, sword at the peak of a prepared swing. Beata's hand dove into her right boot, and she threw out her short knife. The flying blade pinned the trapper's left foot as he settled his stance to commit to the swing. He shouted in startled pain, which threw him off balance enough for Eret to charge and stomp on the man's knee, snapping the leg with a loud pop.

"Bastard!" Scarface roared. He collapsed onto the floor but slashed at the air with his sword in a last attempt, which was effortlessly dodged by the dragon rider. He kicked the blade out of the blonde's hand and stepped on it casually, not breaking it but pinning it in a position that would prevent the man from getting up anytime soon. Scarface cursed again but was unable to do anything. Erik snarled, making as if to charge, but Ulrik gripped his shoulder. His dark eyes scanned the trees angrily.

"Why don't ya show yerself?" he challenged the leaves. Beata made sure she had her cloak strapped on and her satchel tied before leaping the branches to the tree behind Eret. The trappers watched her billowing shadow dancing through the golden leaves and kept still while the maiden jumped from the safety of the birches to land beside her guide, flanking the fallen hunter. Her blue eyes focused on Ulrik, who seemed momentarily surprised before baring his teeth in a menacing way. "You," he growled.

"Me," Beata replied calmly. She stood straight, conveying her dominance as any creature would. "Getting bold enough to attack dragon riders, Ulrik?"

"You said ya weren't one." He laughed. "I knew ya were lyin' tuh me, lass."

"I'm not, I'm just a humble traveler. This man is a rider, though, and this is their land. I don't think their chief would take kindly to greedy, shameless poachers."

"Ya can't talk tuh Ulrik like that, bitch!" Scarface barked. Without looking, Beata untied her bag and plopped it on the trapper's face. The metal cauldron inside rang as it met bone, and the blonde viking yelped at the sharp pain of his nose being tested. Eret blinked at the gesture and eyed his charge without trying to look too baffled.

"You hold him with such respect, but he is a coward who needs his men to fight for him." The Valkyrie's gaze narrowed at the wounded warrior as she spat, "Pathetic."

"I'd like ya to say that tuh my face, woman!" Ulrik snarled. He growled at her confidence, and seeing his comrade at her feet brought the blood to his face. Beata smirked and shrugged out of her black fur cloak, tossing it to Eret, who caught it on reflex.

"Hold this," the maiden told him calmly. "I have a score to settle." Before the man could warn her about Ulrik's temper, the head trapper was charging at them, Erik flanking his left. Beata grinned at the prospect of returning the favor given by them and went to meet the bearded man. She pulled her satchel along with her, shouting in challenge while gaining the momentum she needed. Within two meters of contact, Beata side-stepped to the right and spun counterclockwise, following her attacker's axe and swinging her load low to knock the wind from the group's main muscleman. With her free hand, the Valkyrie removed her dagger from her bodice and slashed at the leader. She met his cloak, but the force she applied to the attack tore the fur from his left shoulder. Not wasting time, Beata dropped into a crouch and dug into her bag to pull out her towel. Ulrik rushed her, forcing the young woman to abandon her bag to dodge the axe yet again.

Eret had followed Beata's lead and skirted the charging Erik, wrapping the black cloak given to him around his opponent's head. As the viking struggled to disentangle himself from the furs, Eret slammed the flat of his blade against the back of the man's head, putting all his weight behind it. The wrappings cushioned the blow, but it still sent the trapper rolling. When he looked to his companion, Eret noticed that Ulrik's cloak was in tatters and discarded onto the forest floor. Beata was covered in dirt, but her stance was no less wary or tired. She went for her opponent again, dagger flashing. The trapper easily blocked it with his own and swung at her with his bloodied axe. Beata leapt back immediately, staggering the slightest as she tried to regain her breath. Patches of dark brown soaked her shirt, but the Valkyrie didn't seem to notice her injuries. Her eyes were focused on the trapper, and he was focused on her.

Ulrik panted as he steadied himself and planned his next move. He was annoyingly impressed that the brat could survive as long as she did. His speed was normally enough to gut an opponent, but somehow she avoided that fatal blow. Most would run away from a fight with him, yet she stayed even when he was much larger than her. Curious at her choice of battle and to give himself time to gain strength, he asked, "If ya aren't a rider, why fight at all?"

"I simply want to return the beating you gave me." Her blue eyes blazed. "And to stop you before you harm any more dragons."

"Ah, so ya are a sympathizer. Well, lass, you want tuh be a hero? Let me give ya a proper death, then!" He raised his axe, but before he could charge, a trail of blue and yellow stripped barbs rained onto the leaf-littered floor between them. One of the dangerous spines flew close to Ulrik's face, and he recoiled, dropping his axe in the process. A loud squawk brought his and Beata's gaze up to watch a blue and gold Deadly Nadder land in the messy clearing. Sitting on the back of the dragon was the blonde woman from before, Astrid. The rider's azure eyes took in the scene with a calm gaze until she noted Beata's injuries.

"This fighting will stop, now," she said, her voice ringing with authority. As if for emphasis, Skullcrusher landed in the clearing beside Eret, who had Erik pinned to the ground with the tip of his blade at the man's throat. Astrid looked to Ulrik and addressed him. "Trappers aren't allowed on this island. These dragons are protected by the Riders of Berk, and if any should come to harm by your hand, we return it a hundredfold."

"We are just honest hunters looking fer a living," said the bearded viking, lifting his hands in an innocent gesture that was marred by the bloody weapons in them. "We need the money to feed ourselves, ma'am."

The woman's eyes narrowed. "And attacking my people is part of your living? I don't think so. This act will not be forgiven, but I am willing to give you and your men the chance to leave the Isle of Berk. Be gone by the last quarter moon, or you and your party will suffer dire consequences."

Ulrik glared at Astrid, then he glanced at his men and the two dragons. His gaze finally went to Beata, and he growled, "Ya won't be so lucky the third time we meet, brat. Mark my words." He then glowered at the chief's bride-to-be for another moment before nodding his understanding, placing his axe and dagger on his belt. Astrid looked to Eret, who eased up on Erik. The large viking sat up and went to Scarface, removing the knife from his foot and picking him up over his shoulder. He went to Ulrik, and the three went to the tree where their fourth member laid unconscious under a tree. The two able men lifted the trunk enough for the crippled Scarface to pull their comrade out. Ulrik carried this man, and the four left the birch grove as quickly as they could.

"Lovely timin' ya have there, Astrid," Eret said genially. Skullcrusher followed him as the viking collected the scattered weapons on the ground along with Beata's cloak. With the threat of an attack gone, the dragon-child felt her limbs grow heavy, her legs weak. She felt her knees buckle as the pain from the cuts vied for her attention, but someone caught her before she fully collapsed. She looked to her right to see the blonde's beautiful face frowning at her, blonde brows furrowed.

"How bad are you hurt?" she asked.

"Just some good cuts from the dagger." Beata tried to make her tone light through her fatigue. "I was too worried...'bout that axe. Forgot how quick the knife can be. I'll be fine with a wash and some wrappings." Despite the pain, a smile came to her face. "Thanks for stepping in, Astrid."

"Of course." The Valkyrie smiled momentarily, still remembering the blood on the trapper's axe. Did he hit her with it? Surely Beata would've remembered. Instead of asking, Astrid offered to take her on her dragon while Eret carried her things. The raven-haired maiden accepted after some thought and followed her to the dragoness. "Do you want your cloak for the trip?" the blonde asked. "We'll be hurrying to the healer's, and the wind gets cold at high speeds."

She remembered the chill on the more lenient pace with Eret and gave a weak smile. "I suppose that'd be best." She allowed the chief's betrothed to tie on the cloak for her since her own arms were stinging and throbbing from the battle with Ulrik. She forced her protesting muscles to hold on to Astrid, however, and the two took off at a faster pace than Skullcrusher, who was to continue on patrol since Eret wasn't seriously injured. During the wind-howling ride back to Berk, Beata recounted the conversation Ulrik had with Eret prior to the duel. Their words made her frown, and she decided to ask the young woman before her.

"Um, Astrid?"

"Yeah?"

"Before the fight, Ulrik called Eret a traitor, and he said that he used to be one of the best "wranglers." Is that true?"

Astrid frowned at the skies ahead of them. She knew that she had no right to answer, but she gave one fitting for the question. "He was a trapper when I first met him, yes. He did change, though, after a while. You can ask him about the details some other time."

"Okay. Do you patrol often?"

"Yep. It's something I like to do, and it gives Stormfly the exercise she needs." The blonde patted her dragon on the neck, and the Nadder bobbed her head in agreement. "We're one of the quicker flyers, so when Skullcrusher alerted us of the battle, Stormfly and I rushed to help. Glad I found you guys before it got worse."

"Yeah, thanks for that."

"No problem. We're almost there, just a few more minutes. Can you hold for that long, Beata?" She wasn't sure if her passenger was aware of her shaking and hoped that her grip wouldn't fail.

The maiden took stock of her pain and her fatigue. As she tried to press herself closer to the rider, she hissed in discomfort. Stormfly made a small questioning noise. _"What's wrong?"_ she asked. Astrid waited patiently for an answer.

"My arms are cold and hurting," she admitted for both the dragon and her rider's benefit. "I should last for the ride though." Some wind bit through her coverings, and something cool slithered down her side, making her shudder. Beata looked under her cloak to find her pants beaded with blood dripping from her side. "Oh…"

"What?" Astrid heard the surprise and tiredness in the newcomer's tone. Worry tightened her voice. The maiden sounded like she was fading, which wasn't a good sign. "Are you okay?"

"Looks like I have an axe's cut after all." A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she held her hand to her side, applying pressure to the wound. "Wasn't so easy a fight, then..." Her head was starting to feel light, but she struggled to remain conscious. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself, reapplied pressure with her left hand and clung to Astrid with her right arm the best she could, which the blonde squeezed with her free hand in reassurance.

"Hang on, Beata," she said softly.

Stormfly sensed the tension in her rider and sped up as much as possible without taxing the women's grip. The wounded passenger closed her eyes and focused on her grip, forcing her mind to let go of everything else but the sound of her breathing, her hold of Astrid and the Nadder's wingstrokes, hoping that she wouldn't pass out on the way.


	8. A New Home

_**Disclaimer: Once again I do NOT own characters from the HTTYD franchise, but I DO own Camilla and Felix (to be introduced later).**_

* * *

Chapter 8: A New Home

Hiccup stood and smiled, watching the older vikings of the village leave the Great Hall as their meeting came to an end. It was a function they had every month to make sure that structures and businesses were holding up. The chief had received good news in those departments, which was great considering the approaching winter and its colder, more vicious cousin, Devastating Winter. He made his way toward the doors, being the last one out in case anyone had personal complaints, and was startled to find Astrid rushing into the hall.

"Oh, good! You're still here!" she gasped. The blonde gave him a quick hug while he stood there, baffled.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. "Your patrol shift couldn't have finished that quickly. Did something happen? Is it Stormfly? Is she all right?"

"She's fine, but that's not why I'm here. Come on, I'll explain on the way." She took his hand and tugged him outside of the Great Hall. Hiccup had to lengthen his stride to keep up.

"What's going on?" he asked, exasperated. "Where are we going, Astrid?"

"To Camilla's," his fiance replied. "It was easier to bring her there. Your mother and Toothless are already with her."

"What? Why?" He didn't like what was coming, but he now understood the urgency by mention of the healer's name. Aside from the village elder, Gothi, Camilla was the only other viking who knew the most about medicine. Knowing where the building was, he walked briskly beside the young woman. Thinking of the people there, he guessed, "Is it Beata?"

Astrid nodded. "She should be fine, but I thought you should hear what happened firsthand. I was on patrol with Stormfly when Skullcrusher came rushing at us outta nowhere, completely riderless, and urged us to follow him. I figured that Eret and Beata had gotten into some trouble, so we let him lead us to a patch of forest." Her blue eyes glanced to him for a moment before looking ahead again. "Turns out that they had ran into some trappers. They were fighting when I got there, but Stormfly stopped them before anyone was killed. I gave them a warning, and the trappers took off with their wounded. They have until the last quarter to leave Berk."

With every word Hiccup's mood faltered. Dread formed a knot in his stomach, but he kept walking.

"How bad are they?" he asked quietly.

"Eret looked like he had a few bruises, but he was able to continue his rounds and should be back soon." The blonde took a breath before continuing. "Beata has smaller cuts over her arms and some of her torso, but those will heal in a relatively short amount of time. Her worst injury is on her abdomen: a slash to her core that ends on her left side. It bled a lot on the way here, so she was barely conscious when we landed at Camilla's. The healer says that the blow was intended to cut into organs, but Beata seemed to have diverted most of it; Camilla's still baffled by it because the axe used was sharp, and given the location and length of the cut, it should have opened her up like a gutted fish."

Hiccup felt himself pale at the image. How could this have happened? Everything had seemed to be going so well. All that he had expected was for his guest and Eret to return with her supplies found. Maybe Beata could have gained a new friend in the ex-trapper, too. Now the maiden had returned in precarious health yet again. The chief's stomach sank, and his pace quickened. Astrid understood his worry and followed in silence.

Soon they arrived at the healer's small house. Toothless was lying outside the home, tail sweeping over the ground around him in a restless gesture as he rested his head on his forelegs. His ears twitched at the sound of their approach, and the drake brightened when he saw Hiccup. Once the chief was several meters away the Night Fury made his way to greet him, which the viking returned with a chin scratch. The trio walked to the door, where Toothless once again waited outside, seemingly more comfortable but no less alert. There were other occupants in Camilla's main room, people who were catching the beginning of the season's coughs and fevers. Some other vikings were there to tend to their friends and family the best they could with the healer as their guide. It wasn't too crowded, but a dragon could take up room rather quickly, and Toothless knew that well enough. As a means of compromise, he was permitted to remain by the open window, just to the side of the door, where he could listen for his new friend.

Astrid guided Hiccup to the far right of the room, halfway to the back, where Valka sat beside a simple bed. She had finished wiping the resting girl's face and placed the rag into a bowl of warm water. The woman heard her name and turned her head to smile at the approaching couple. She stood up and greeted her son with a small hug, which he returned with affection.

"How is she?" he inquired, looking at the maiden in the cot. She looked to be breathing easy, even if her skin was a little paler than that morning. There was a new cut or two on her cheeks that he could see. All other injuries were hidden by the blanket and black fur cloak covering her. Hiccup's mother looked to their sleeping guest as well, smiling the slightest while her eyes were worried and tired.

"Camilla says she'll be fine," Valka replied quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping Valkyrie. "She had tuh give Beata some stitches tuh keep the wound clean and minimize scars. Took the needle like a true viking and passed out after the thread was knotted, wound rewashed and her throat quenched. Been out for about ten minutes or so. She should be able tuh go back tuh our house by this evening, given she has enough rest."

"That's good to hear. If she's sleeping, then we should let her rest." The chief turned his hazel eyes to his betrothed and raised a quizzical brow. "What was with the rush?"

"She wanted to let you know what happened as soon as possible. She hoped to be awake when you got here, but it looks like she was more exhausted than she thought." Astrid remembered how the young woman had asked her to find Valka and her son, how tired she had looked. She had managed to remain conscious during the transition from dragonback to the bed, even when it was obvious that she was weak. When they were barely in the doorway, Toothless had come bounding down the path and skidded to a halt just outside the house. With the drake poking his head inside the window to oversee Camilla's work, the blonde had hurried from to fetch Valka and send her over while she went to get the chief.

Remembering his conversation with Beata the night before, Hiccup looked somewhat guiltily at his guest. "Well, she did only wake up from hypothermia yesterday. Today was only meant to be a circle of the area and a tour, not a battle with trappers." The young man sighed. "Her report can wait until she wakes up, I'm sure. If anything I can ask Eret when he gets back this afternoon. She needs her rest, and I don't want to take that from her." He smiled at Astrid, who smiled gently in return before kissing his cheek.

"Alright, Hiccup. You're the boss."

"I'll stay with her until she wakes up," Valka offered. "She insisted that I be here, and I don't want her frightened when she regains consciousness."

The comment tugged at the chief's curiosity, but he decided that it, too, could wait until they were in the privacy of their home. "Okay," he said. "I'll go take Toothless for a patrol run." An idea came to him. "Astrid, could you show me where they found the trappers? I want to check the place for myself."

"Sure." The blonde gave Valka a warm hug before leaving the healer's house, and Hiccup followed suit. To his surprise, Toothless was all geared up and ready for flight. He figured that his mother had suited him up for his routine flight before Astrid had summoned her, and he never noticed since the leather rigging had become a second skin to the dragon, easily dismissed by both parties.

Stormfly stood beside him, clicking, while the Fury seemed intent on her gestures and sounds, rumbling every so often while his ears tried to angle themselves to catch the draconic sounds. Obviously they were communicating, but Hiccup felt that this conversation was far more serious than their usual playful displays. The two dragons looked to their riders after what seemed to be a concluding remark, and the two vikings nodded and climbed onto their saddles.

"Follow Astrid and Stormfly," the chief told his friend. "We're gonna see how close those trappers are getting to Berk."

Toothless rumbled in agreement before turning his eyes to the healer's house, his growl questioning. Hiccup patted the drake's neck and said, "Beata will be okay. She's sleeping now, but Camilla and my mother say that she can be transferred to the house tonight."

This seemed to appease the Night Fury, and Stormfly gave a happy bob of her head. Astrid smiled and patted the dragoness. "Good girl," she praised in regards to the flight. Her blue eyes then went to her fiancé. "The area is mostly birch forest, north, northwest of here. It'll take a good thirty-five minutes on route, fifteen straight."

"Have Snotlout and the twins taken their shift yet?" Hiccup asked.

"I think so."

"Then we'll fly straight. Once we find out everything we can, we'll resume patrol route."

The blonde nodded. "Okay. Stormfly, let's go." The Nadder took off, and after a moment to give the two clearance, Toothless bounded up and followed. Seeing the blue dragon leveling out, the Night Fury did the same and evened his pace with hers. The drake watched the trees below as well as the sky ahead, all the while wondering about the trappers and the danger they presented to his colony.

* * *

Beata awoke to find that the sun had changed positions considerably while she was resting. The unfamiliar sounds of people coughing and moaning made her tense, so she prepared to sit up for a look around. A hand held her shoulder down before she could move, and the maiden looked to her left to see Valka's rich green eyes watching her. "Easy," the woman crooned. "Come up slow, so the stitches do not tear." With her help, Beata managed to sit upright and glanced down at her new shirt, which was looser and possessed shorter sleeves than before. Her arms were bandaged from wrist to eight centimeters above her elbow, but she didn't feel any pain.

"Who dressed me?" she asked tentatively. She worried about the mark on her back, but to other vikings it was likely to be passed off as a tattoo. Still, she found the dragon mark to be rather personal. The woman before her handed her a cup of water, and she sipped it tentatively while waiting for an answer.

"I did, don't worry, dear." Valka smiled at the girl's relief and her more confident swig of water. Camilla had been busy with the other sick vikings once she finished suturing the wound, and Valka volunteered to wash and clothe the maiden. She had had a feeling that the reason Beata wanted her to be there was to have a familiar face and someone who had already seen her mark. The newcomer had not asked after her thoughts on the tattoo, but Valka knew that she was aware that she had indeed seen it the night she was brought to them. When she saw her blue eyes searching the room, the woman reported, "Remember, you're in the healer's home. Hiccup stopped by while you were sleeping. He and Astrid went to search the area where you and Eret met the trappers. Did you need to tell Hiccup something?"

The young woman thought about it for a moment. "I wanted tuh tell him the details of the encounter, but Eret could do most of it, since he was the one who met them first. I was in the trees collecting my things." Her mind then went to the matter at hand. "How bad is the axe's cut?"

"It was a fairly clean slice." The mother carefully took the the hem of the shirt and lifted it to just below her breasts, exposing the long cut, now stitched with wax-coated thread. "The attack seems to have been intended to open your guts, but what happened is that it entered the skin of your stomach and slid around to the side, ending two fingers below your ribs." She traced the injury from above from just below her navel to where it ended below her ribcage, not touching the sutures. "It was about a finger's width deep, nothing was torn but skin and some muscle, though not severely."

The description made the young Valkyrie feel better, though she was in no less pain. "Ulrik was charging me, and I dodged last minute and spun with the blow. Looks like it saved my life."

"That's quite the luck ya have there, milady," commented a familiar voice. Beata and Valka both looked to the doorway to see Eret walk into the house. He smiled and nodded to the healer, who stood by the fire stirring a pot of steaming liquid. The viking made his way to the dragon-born's cot and paused beside the chief's mother. "How ya doin'?" he asked in a more serious tone, brown eyes noting the bandages on the patient's arms.

"Just a bit patched up," Beata said, adjusting her shirt to hide the worst injury out of modesty. "Not dead, though, as much as he would've liked it."

"Very true. Glad that you're looking well enough tuh sit up." The man grinned but then blinked. "Ah, almost forgot!" He reached behind him and unstrapped the satchel from his back. He set it beside the cot. "Yer supplies."

"Thank you, Eret," the maiden replied. "How're yer injuries?"

The rider shrugged. "Scratches, bruises, nothing I can't handle. You, my friend, are quite the fireball, aren't ya, takin' on Ulrik and his men like that? A lot stronger than ya look, too." He smirked at the last comment, impressed with her combat skills.

"I use that tuh my advantage." Beata smiled back before looking at her bandaged arms somewhat guiltily. "I should've been smarter about my fights, though. Normally I don't get so many cuts during brawls, but I suppose that's mostly because my tribe never really sought out any enemies tuh challenge. Sparring with your brothers is different than with strangers." She tried to laugh, but it hurt her side to where she winced. A hand held hers, and Beata followed the arm to meet gentle green eyes.

"No need tuh criticize yerself. You survived, and that's that. Now ya need to focus on healing." Valka looked soberly at her guest. "You need tuh rest for at least a month before attempting anything that moves your stomach too much. It may take longer, depending on your body and your diet."

The idea of being bedridden for months did not appeal to Beata. She loved to move around, to hunt, to be free. Sitting and resting was well enough, but for a month? It sounded difficult. Valka noticed her scowl and tried to comfort her.

"Camilla says that you should be able tuh move tuh the house tonight, if ya feel strong enough. Due tuh your injury, someone is gonna have tuh carry you on their back."

"I could do that, ma'am," volunteered Eret. "I owe her that much for stepping in when I would've been jumped."

"That's very kind of you," Valka praised. Beata nodded, thanking him as well. "We'll let you rest a little longer, though," she addressed the dragon-child. "You should probably eat, too, before we go. Gain what strength ya can for the trip."

Knowing that the idea was good, the young woman agreed. Valka smiled and stood to see the healer. Camilla was slimmer in her age, holding the large spoon for the cooking soup with thin yet strong hands. Her bright grey eyes looked to Valka, then at Beata. Her lips smiled softly, and she took up a small bowl and filled it with the chicken-vegetable soup. The chief's mother was about to turn away when the healer handed her another bowl, still smiling.

"Thank you," Valka said with a bow of her head. Camilla nodded and looked meaningfully to Eret, who smiled and declined the food. The old healer smiled again and gave Valka some spoons before turning back to stir the pot. The mother returned to Beata and handed her a bowl, which she accepted in thanks and let sit in her lap to cool. Valka sat down again and did the same.

"Mind if I go and make sure that Skullcrusher is settled for the day?" Eret asked. "I'll be back as quick as I can, but you can always send for me if you want."

"Alright." The two women watched as the viking left, and Beata looked to the rider beside her.

"Do you know when Hiccup and Toothless will be back?" the maiden asked.

"I would say that they should be back soon. Depends on how thorough they are with scouting and then running through the patrols." The woman smiled and lifted her bowl to blow on it. "No doubt that dragon will be rushing back here tuh see ya, though."

The comment made Beata flush the slightest. Neither of them missed how the drake liked to be near her, but to have Valka say it aloud made Beata feel embarrassed. She, too, lifted her bowl and tried to cool it before taking a spoonful. "What makes you say that?" she asked at last.

"He's been hovering over ya ever since we found ya. Not sure why, exactly, but perhaps he senses something about you that draws him closer." The woman shrugged. "You could always try asking him."

To others, that would have been noted as a sarcastic or metaphorical suggestion. Beata knew better, for she had exposed her secret of talking to dragons to her the night before. She sipped some more broth and replied, "That would be nice." Her thoughts wandered to the Night Fury, and she could not hold back the smile his kindness gave her. The whole Haddock family was nice to her, made her feel at home. Worried that they were only being the kind hosts that tradition dictated, Beata asked, "I'm not imposing, am I?"

"Not at all. It's nice to meet a kindred spirit." The two women resumed eating their meals in silence. By the time the bowls were empty and returned to Camilla, a roar was heard some distance away. Beata recognized it immediately and could not help but smile in relief. She had worried that the group would've gotten attacked during their scouting, but they seemed to be safe. Valka smiled at her for a moment before making sure that she wasn't really going to attempt getting out of the cot. "I'll go see how they're doing. Wait here, okay?"

The maiden nodded and watched her leave. Valka exited Camilla's house and found Hiccup dismounting Toothless, who watched her approach with interest. The young chief removed his helmet and greeted, "Hey mom. How's Beata?" The drake stood behind him, large eyes concerned.

"She's awake and aware," she reported with a hopeful smile. "How was the flight?"

"Honestly, I'm surprised that Beata survived. There was a lot of blood on the ground, and Toothless was sure that most of it was hers." At his words the Night Fury rumbled and nudged his rider, a supportive gesture. "The trappers definitely have something going on up north, but Astrid and I decided to hold back to keep from being spotted. From what we saw, it looked like they have some base in the mountains."

"I see. What do ya want tuh do?"

"Well, we can have some people scout the area before the mountain, but more than anything we should tighten the patrol. If those men are still here by the final moon, we'll know that they mean business. Winter will be setting in soon, so no trapper will be able to move easily until the thaw of spring. If we could keep them from taking any dragons until the ice sets, then we'll be able to make a plan to get them out."

Valka bobbed her head. "Alright then. Shall we go and ask Beata if she's ready tuh go home? We'll have tuh wait for Eret tuh help us get her there, though." A worried crooning came from the Night Fury, and the woman turned to include him in the explanation. "She can't walk excessively or ride on dragonback for a month at least, two tuh be safe. Taking her on someone's back will be ideal, and Eret volunteered his help."

"That sounds fine with me," Hiccup said. Toothless gaped at his best friend, shocked that he would allow the person who was with Beata when she was nearly killed handle her a second time in the same day. He tried to voice a protest, which came across as a disbelieving roar. The chief frowned at the dragon. "What? He's capable of carrying her just fine."

"That's right," Valka said, and stared at her in surprise. Her, too? He tried to challenge their decision, but the matronly rider had turned her attention to her son. "Hiccup, would you like to speak with Beata, now that she's awake? She wished to report her experience to you."

"Sure. Toothless, stay here." The viking went inside, followed by his mother. The drake stared after them, sighed, and sat to the side of the doorway, watching for Eret.

Beata gave a deep bow of her head upon seeing the chief. "Glad tuh see that you returned safely, Hiccup," she said.

"Thanks, Beata. Now, would you feel comfortable talking about what happened today here? We can always wait until you're back in the house."

"I can describe the attack, if you wish." The girl settled herself on the bed and told about the event. "A total of four men attacked Eret, Skullcrusher and me. The head of the group is named Ulrik, according tuh Eret. He and his crew were also the same men who trapped me the night you and your dragon found me. They were upset that Eret cut their trap and tracked us down. I was in the tree at the time, so they didn't know I was there. Ulrik challenged Eret tuh a battle after some words were exchanged, and when they went down his men tried tuh get the better of Eret. Skullcrusher intervened, felling those trees you probably saw at the site. One crushed a man's leg. I threw a knife at one of the trappers' feet, crippling him before he could attack Eret. Then we each took on the remaining two while Skullcrusher went tuh get help. I fought Ulrik, and Eret battled Erik."

"She did most of the work, though," chimed in the ex-trapper's voice. He entered the healer's home and nodded to Camilla, Valka and Hiccup before smiling at Beata. "Knocked the wind outta my opponent with her heavy bag of supplies and took on Ulrik by herself. She tore his armor up pretty well, too, with a dull dagger tuh boot." He gasped as if remembering something and reached into his vest. "Speaking o' which…" Eret removed the bleached handled dagger, stepped past the chief and handed it to the dragon-child. "Ya dropped it at the forest. Skullcrusher found it before we took off."

Beata accepted the dagger with a smile. "Thank you," she said gratefully. She laid the weapon in her lap and let her fingers trace the carved runes of protection and strength. Seeing her treasure the blade, Valka tilted her head in interest while her son gave a knowing look. It was how he appreciated the items that his mother had passed to him when he had thought her dead. Thinking that his guest had a similar story, he chose not to pry about it in front of other vikings.

Now brought to his attention, he turned his gaze to those in the infirmary who were conscious, or visiting, and watching them. Most were suffering from the usual illness that come around the snowy season, being watched by the healer until she determined if their case was not serious enough to stay. Men and women alike were staring at Beata. Most of the looks were ones of approval, hearing the account from one of their own regarding her battle skills. They did not quite know who she was, but if Hiccup and his mother trusted her, they would, too. Knowing her willingness to protect someone she wasn't related to in any way gave the Berkians a sense of faith in her, and the tenderness she showed to a family heirloom was promising. The vikings looked to their chief, and many smiled before resuming their dinners, which Camilla was handing out in silence.

"So," Eret said into the respectable silence. He beamed at Beata. "Want tuh head out?"

"Sure." The maiden passed her dagger to Valka while Hiccup carried her bag of supplies and cloak. The built viking knelt before Beata as she sat on the bed, and she leaned forward and carefully placed her weight against his back. She draped her arms over his shoulders and clasped her hands together. When she assured him that her grip was secure enough, Eret stood slowly, taking her legs and resting them along his forearms to hold her comfortably. The movement as they walked to the door made her stitches hurt, but it wasn't terrible.

"I'm okay," she replied as she was asked about her discomfort once they were outside. Toothless stood onto all four legs upon seeing the group and looked at her with questions in his eyes. "Hey, Toothless. It's okay, I won't fall off." The drake rumbled low for a moment before giving Eret a rather pointed look before leading the way to the Haddock house.

"What's wit 'im?" the man asked.

Hiccup shrugged. "Sometimes even I can't figure out what he's saying." He walked to Eret's left, Valka to his right. After letting some distance between them and the center of the village, the chief looked to his guest and asked, "So, is a possible two-month stay in Berk throwing off any plans?"

"Not exactly," Beata laughed. She winced at the pain but did not regret it. "I was actually hoping that I could stay. I've been on my own for the past five years without much company, or feeling like I belonged anywhere. Here, though...I can be with dragons and people who have the same passion for them as I do. This looks like a place that I want tuh protect, and I'd be glad tuh do so." She gave her host a hopeful look, "May I remain in Berk, Hiccup?"

Toothless paused at the words and looked back to his rider, green eyes glinting in the last of the sunlight. The chief glanced to Valka, who smiled at him in encouragement. Eret couldn't look because he was still walking, but he was slower in his steps and listened with interest. Finally, Hiccup looked to the glacial blue of Beata's eyes, hope and fear conflicting in her gaze. Knowing that he could trust his dragon's judgement, and feeling it in his own gut, the chief smiled and gave his answer.

"Welcome to Berk, Beata."

* * *

**Yay! Another chapter has been posted! Not as long as the previous chapter, but there are more pieces to come. ****Thanks again for reading, favoriting, and reviewing to this story! You guys are awesome, and I'll do my best to update ASAP :)**

**Until next time!**

**~RedWolf210**


	9. A Rite of Passage

Chapter 9: A Rite of Passage

Beata woke up to the sound of the large door to the Haddock House closing. She turned her head to the side, peering at the stairs since she could not sit up as quickly as she wanted to. Finding no one climbing the stairs, she figured that whoever went through the door was heading to work. The slow, steady sound like bellows caught her attention next. She let her right hand fall from her blankets, reaching down from the bench to seek the source of the sound. Her fingertips met the scaled skin of a dragon's hide, and Beata stroked the beast, tracing the crest that ran over its head.

"Toothless," she asked sleepily, "did someone just leave the house?"

The Night Fury purred at the maiden's touch, and after a moment he answered, _"Valka left for her shift at the forge."_

"And Hiccup?"

_"Went for his round of duties a few hours ago. He will probably be gone for most of the day."_ He stretched where he lied on the floor, yawning. After arching his back as a cat would, he felt much more alert. He opened his eyes once he settled back on the warm earth and looked up at the young woman with his gentle green eyes. _"Are you hungry?" _he asked.

"A bit." She tossed the top of her blanket away and gripped the sides of the bench that she slept on. Toothless promptly stood up and placed his head on her back to slowly bring her to sitting position. She adjusted herself carefully, finally settling in the regular seating posture and gave the drake a chin and scratch in thanks. She looked to the table on the other side of the room and found food already cooked for her.

Hearing her stomach growl, the Night Fury turned toward the prepared meal._ "I'll get it."_ He walked to the table and carefully took the plate in his teeth. Valka had made sure to keep the maiden's breakfast on one of the larger wooden plates to accommodate the drake's grip as he brought their guest her meal. The woman had cared for Beata over the past month and a half, but now she had to go back to work. The forges and saddleroom were getting busy before the winter made game and dry wood scarce. In the times of her shift, Toothless would bring Beata food and provide conversation and company. At times even Astrid stopped by to check on her prior to taking the drake for some exercise. Their combined efforts made staying in the windowless room more bearable.

"Thanks," the dragon-child said as she accepted the plate. She ate her breakfast at a modest pace, and when she finished her friend took the plate in his jaws once again and placed the dish in the basin to be washed later. He returned to his place beside the maiden after placing two logs onto the fire. Beata automatically untied her mussed braid and began re-styling her hair, looking to the flames as she would a mirror. After a few minutes she sighed.

_"What is it?"_ Toothless asked, and ear twitching toward her in question. He listened to her soft breathing, covered only by the light whispering of hair being knotted and tangled in a way that was still curious to him.

Finally she spoke. "I want tuh go outside." Her sad tone brought the drake's gaze to her, and he noted the way her lip pouted in silence. She didn't notice him staring. She was too focused on the fire, imagining what the weather was like outside the walls. Her fingers were still weaving her long raven hair into the braid, not needing visual guidance after so many years of routine.

Seeing that she was serious, or at least more so than the last time she said such a thing, Toothless gave a doubtful rumble. _"You should probably wait another few days before trying it."_

"Why? The wound isn't red anymore, and it rarely hurts now." She looked to the dragon, pleading with her light blue eyes. "We don't have tuh go far, just outside the door, in the sun. I'll just sit down and rest while you watch me. I promise that I won't do anything tuh break the stitches or open the cut. Please?" She paused in her braiding to put her hands together, trapping the tail of her hair between her palms.

He rumbled in thought, giving her a surprisingly suspicious look for a dragon. She had been asking to go outside for the last three weeks, and he had always said no. In spite of her stubborn insistence on her health, the drake had heard the tiredness in her voice and pain in her breath when she sat up on her own or stood for an inspection by Valka. Whenever they would try her muscles, Beata always said she could do more, but her paleness and soreness always gave her away. Toothless didn't want her to push herself, but she did seem to be getting stronger in the last week. His eyes looked toward the door, and he ventured, _"If the weather permits, then we may go outside until Valka returns. No walks into the village, and no jumping or wrestling. Is that clear?"_

"Such a mother hen," Beata teased, but she was smiling. "I swear tuh only stay on the hill and tuh sit with you until Valka comes home or when it is unfit for me tuh be out of doors." She watched as her new friend mulled it over. After a minute, the drake sighed and walked toward the front door. He pushed the large oak panel with his head and peered outside, allowing a stream of daylight to sneak inside the house. Hope swelled in the maiden's chest at the good omen. The drake's tail gave a thoughtful swish, and he backed into the house once again, leaving the door open wide enough for the two of them to fit side by side.

_"Walk with me,"_ he insisted. The Valkyrie did not argue and stood slowly after carefully tugging on her boots. Toothless was standing ready and accepted her left hand on his shoulder, careful not to walk ahead or set her off balance as she attempted walking on her own. They had practiced in the house, walking around the firepit once a day, though Toothless always brought her her food, much to Beata's slight annoyance.

The pair made their way outside, where cool morning air hit Beata with a refreshing splash. The sunlight stunned her for a moment, but she let the Night Fury guide her to the grassy patch to the right of the doorway and the large rock that was there. It gave the maiden a place to sit without crouching too low as well as have the proper height for Toothless to curl around it while still providing support to Beata's back. The girl sighed in relief and looked out to the village of Berk, where dragons walked and flew among the vikings as they made their way through the day.

"It's so nice tuh be outside!" she cried, leaning heavily against her friend's back after walking and standing on her own. With her eyes closed, the young woman took in the warmth of the sun. From the purring beneath her, she knew that Toothless was enjoying the sun's rays as well. She reached behind her with her right hand and patted the drake's neck. "Thanks, bud." The nickname had stuck after hearing Hiccup use it so often, and neither he nor the dragon seemed to mind her using it.

The purring came closer as the Night Fury nudged her cheek. _"Of course,"_ he replied. He wouldn't have liked being indoors for so long, either, and he saw her becoming restless for the past few days. Even if she wasn't so strong, he knew she would've kept pestering. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have their newest member of the tribe enjoy the weather while it was still good. Knowing that Beata was thankful for his help made him feel useful, too, especially with his rider being busy and doing things that he could not really assist with.

"How long do ya think this sun will last?" the maiden asked, bringing Toothless out of his thoughts. He looked to the sky and sniffed the air.

_"About three more days,"_ he answered. _"The wind is getting cooler and wetter. We might have snow soon."_

"What, winter's here already? Seems tuh be approaching a little fast." Beata kept her eyes closed as she spoke. "Then again I've been cooped up for the past month, so the days meld too much. I wonder what Gunnar and Birger are doing?" The drake rumbled in response, not sure whether it was a rhetorical question and decided to be safe and treat it as such. The Valkyrie was beginning to fall asleep in the glow of the sun when she heard footsteps approach the top of the hill. The Night Fury looked up first, and then he gave a sigh when he recognized the person.

"Mornin' miss," greeted a man's voice. Having the words aimed at her, Beata was momentarily surprised that someone other than those she lived with had approached her. Curious, the maiden opened her eyes and sat up carefully. When she was sitting straighter with Toothless for support, she studied the viking before her. He was around her age, smaller than Hiccup but definitely had more mass in those wide shoulders and well-muscled arms. His hair was a dark brown that stuck out from under his helmet. There was some facial hair shadowing his lip and chin, not full just yet but promising to be so come deep winter. His chin was strong, though his jaw was partly open and his grey-blue eyes wide upon meeting her gaze.

"Good morning," she replied after a moment, smiling. "Can I help you with something?"

Suddenly realizing that she was waiting for him to answer, the young man bobbed his head. "I, uh...yes." His words made her lips quirk at the corners, trying to contain a small laugh while her eyes sparkled. He chose to interpret her smile as encouragement and continued. "Are you the young woman the whole village has been talking of with skills like none other we've seen?"

"Well, I don't know what the people are saying, but keep in mind that there is always room for storytellers to embellish certain actions and events." Worry twisted her stomach, fearing that the villagers were afraid of her, but the viking's grin seemed to indicate something different.

"Were they lying that you stood your own against a man over twice your mass and took down a trapper with a single thrown knife?"

"Um, no…"

"That's amazing! But everyone forgot to mention how beautiful you look! How can they leave such an obvious detail out?"

Beata didn't know what to say, and she felt her cheeks heat up. She tried to ignore it, looking at the grass and hoping she didn't look too flustered. Eventually she found her voice. "You're too kind."

Seeing her nervously brush a lock of wind-loosened raven hair behind her ear as she spoke, the young man couldn't help but smile as the compliment seemed to resonate with her. The way she spoke so modestly was intriguing, especially with how she smiled shyly, completely unlike the Valkyrie that the villagers had spoken of with approving nods and grins. Still, seeing her respond to his efforts made him happy, and he was glad he had come to the Haddock House.

Toothless, on the other hand, looked between the two humans, observing the effect the guest was having on his charge and the stupid grin on the viking's face.

He didn't like it.

Finding the moment right, the young man removed his helmet and made a grand gesture. "Allow me to introduce myself, milady. My name is Snotlout. I am said to be the most _dashing_ man in the village, but I'm too modest to agree to such a compliment. I hope I do not intimidate you with my stated physical brilliance. Though I couldn't compare to a lovely lady such as yourself." The sight of sparkling blue eyes made him almost forget his next line, so he chose to buy time with a bow. Unfortunately, he moved too quickly and was reminded that he stood on the slope of a hill when the earth clocked him on his unprotected head. Doing his best not to flinch, he righted himself and smiled. Playing it off, Snotlout did his best to give a charming smile as he asked, "May I have the honor of knowing your name?"

His lopsided smile caused a small laugh to escape her lips. She let him be the sauve viking he wished and inclined her head. "I am Beata, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Snotlout."

"That's a lovely name, completely accurate! The gods have certainly blessed ya with beauty and strength. Surely it was not luck that brought the two of us together."

Toothless heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes._ "Surely,"_ he agreed, his draconic words dripping with sarcasm.

The maiden ignored the drake, taken aback by the viking's compliment. Again, her cheeks flushed, and she wasn't sure what to do. "Thanks, you're definitely too kind."

"Nonsense!" Snotlout grinned. "It's no trouble to say the truth, Beata. And thanks for protecting our people and dragons. If I was there, though, I would've made sure that you hadn't gotten so hurt. And I would've beaten those men senseless for trying to touch you." He puffed himself up, showing off his muscles, and was rewarded with the maiden's kind smile.

"I'm sure that would've been so. Not that I'm doubting your words, but was there another reason to be here? Surely it wasn't just to see me?" Her raven brow was raised quizzically while she stared at him curiously.

The viking floundered under her gaze. "Well, I...um...had a few questions for Hiccup. Yeah, my dad wanted to ask about a few village things and sent me 'cause he would listen tuh family." Seemingly struck with an idea, Snotlout gave a sheepish smile and clarified, "What I mean is, that Hiccup and I are cousins."

"Oh? You must be lucky to have him then. He and his mother are so kind."

"Right? We're like best pals!" Toothless snorted loudly, and the viking gave him a quelling look before beaming at Beata. "Well, we're close, but I guess Toothless doesn't wanna say so."

_"Right,"_ the drake sighed. The maiden smiled at Snotlout and patted the Night Fury's shoulder.

"Well, Hiccup isn't here now, but I can tell him you came over for help. If ya wanna try and find him, I think he's working with some people at the docks for ship improvements."

"Really? Thanks so much for the help, Beata. I'll go there at once." He then smirked and asked, "Unless you would like me to keep you company?"

"I think that the village should be put before me. Best that you go find Hiccup as soon as possible. He's a rather busy chief."

"Already thinking like a model citizen! You're definitely amazing." He smiled, and Toothless gave him a rather pointed look. The viking seemed to understand some of the message and said, "Well, I'll take your advice and get going. Docks, right? Hope tuh see your beautiful face soon!" Not waiting for a reply, Snotlout blew a kiss and ran down the hill, seemingly lifting his head higher than when he came up.

The maiden watched him go with an amused smile. Her hand stroked the scales behind her. "Quite the charmer, no?" Beata asked her reptilian friend.

The Night Fury huffed. _"He always flatters the females. I wouldn't take his words seriously."_ He glanced to the maiden and hastily added, _"Not that you aren't beautiful. It's just that his affections change faster than the wind."_

Beata laughed and looked over the village again. "Great save, Toothless." Her mirth died down and she explained, "Ya know, I've rarely been praised by others. My skills as a hunter and a fighter were approved of more than myself. Hardly anyone told me how I looked. They stayed away when they could, and the night I left they cursed my name." She took a deep breath, stretching her wound the slightest before exhaling. "So it was nice tuh hear someone say my name is good, even it is tuh only make me blush."

Toothless rumbled sadly and offered, _"Your name is surely meant for you, I'm sure of it."_

"Is that so?" Her mind went to the question she had been asking herself since her first day in Berk, and she decided to speak it now. "Tell me, my friend, what makes you so certain that I need protection? You've been acting like a mother hen since I came here, and I want tuh know why."

The drake thought about it carefully. It was difficult to put it into words. _"When I first heard you, I heard a dragon's call. Finding a viking in your place, I was confused. You smelled like a dragon, so I began to wonder. When Valka spoke of your mark, I knew that you were meant to be here. Hearing you speak and understand me, I was sure that the gods sent you to help us."_ He looked to the dragons flitting about the village. _"The trappers think us as monsters that offer good money as trophies and weapons. They refuse to believe us as thinking beings. I believe that you, Beata, can prove them wrong and stop this war."_

His words made the maiden fidget, picking at the nonexistent dirt on her trousers. His expectations made sense, and she looked to the dragons as well. "Let's hope so." The pair sat in companionable silence, listening to the wind and the dragons calling one another. Several baby dragons fluttered over to them, and Toothless had to warn them away as they tried to roughhouse with Beata. A trio of Terrible Terrors stopped by to visit as well, sniffing the dragon-child curiously before they settled at her feet and her right side. Once the sun hit its peak, a loud squawk announced Astrid and Stormfly's arrival. The blue Nadder landed and allowed her rider to dismount before walking with her to the sitting Night Fury and Valkyrie.

"Hey," the blonde greeted.

"Afternoon, Astrid," Beata replied. She leaned forward to allow Toothless to stand and stretch before bounding over to greet Stormfly. Astrid smiled at the two dragons bobbing their heads before glancing down at the Terrible Terror trio.

"They really like you," she observed with an amused grin. "Hiccup wasn't joking when he said that you're a dragon magnet."

"It's a mystery. They've been stopping by all day, sniffing and taking turns trying to play with me." The raven-haired maiden patted the side of the sleeping Terror beside her. "Kinda nice, though, compared tuh back home."

"Stein, right?" The chief's fiancé settled herself on the grass to Beata's left. "Do you miss it?" she asked softly.

The newcomer shrugged. "A little. It's where I grew up, after all." Her hand went to the small dragon's head, stroking it tenderly. "Then, again, I didn't quite fit in, either."

"Why not?"

"I was adopted, so the villagers wondered where I came from. You know how it is: small community, everyone knows everyone. I couldn't have been one of theirs, and even if I was, I had been abandoned. They didn't like me because I was different, that I was an unknown." Her fists clenched momentarily, and her eyes stared at the grass, hurt. Eventually she composed herself, her tone softer as she smiled at more fonder memories. "But I was taken in by some kind people. They saw my strength and let me stay. It's probably why I'm so tough today. Gotta prove your worth, especially when you're a girl."

Astrid laughed. "Don't I know it. Did you fight often, like sparrings and battles?"

"I wrestled with my brothers, Birger and Gunnar. No one else was willing to fight me. I did hunt, though. I love using a bow and arrow, and the village recognized my skill for it when I helped take down big game."

"That's nice. They must've felt happy to have you, then?"

"Happy I wasn't against them, anyway." Beata sighed, her eyes closed. Astrid watched as her cynicism relaxed into a more peaceful smile. "Honestly, I'm more happy here, in Berk. Back in Stein, I was a ghost, useful one minute and forgotten the next. Here, I can be me, somebody that others treat like a person." Her blue eyes looked to Stormfly and Toothless, who were chasing each other around the house. "And the pets aren't so bad here, either."

"Got that right." Astrid looked to the dragon-child and smiled. "Well, I'm glad that you're here and feeling better. Mind if I take Toothless out for a bit?" She routinely took the Night Fury for a minimum thirty minute flight during Hiccup's chiefing duties, keeping the dragon healthy and happy.

Beata smiled at her. "Not at all. He's all yours. I won't be moving anytime soon."

"Alright. Stormfly, stay with Beata while Toothless goes for a flight." The Nadder paused in her run and went to her rider, nudging her with her large head, careful to avoid hitting her with her horned nose. The blonde stroked her dragon's snout affectionately. "That's a good girl. I'll be back soon, okay? Now, Toothless, let's get ya suited up."

Once the fiancé had saddled the drake up and applied the mechanical tailfin, she and Toothless took off and vanished into the sky. Stormfly watched them go and settled in the grass beside the maiden's left. Beata smiled and greeted the Nadder with a scratch on the chin and neck. "Thank you for keeping me company," she said.

_"No problem. It's nice to get to know you."_ She leaned over and sniffed the young woman's hair, startling the Terrible Terrors curled around her. The largest that sat beside her hissed and was ready to shoot fire, but Beata closed the dragon's mouth with a gentle, firm hand against the chin.

"At peace, friend," she said calmly. "She means no harm."

The Terror growled at the Nadder, who turned a scrutinizing eye on him. The smaller reptile then looked to the maiden before settling down again, head facing away from Stormfly. The dragoness gave a confident laugh and preened herself in victory. _"It's good that you know your place,"_ she purred.

"Speaking of that," Beata chimed, "I haven't really seen so many dragons in one place before. How is everything run?"

_"We are a colony and live as a community, much like the villagers."_ The blue creature tilted her head in thought. _"Normally, there is a Queen or Bewilderbeast to control us. We work for them, and they can choose to protect and care for us."_ Her eyes looked away from the young woman._ "Berk wasn't one of those places."_

"How so?"

_"About six years ago, our colony was smaller and lived at war with the vikings of Berk. We served the queen of our mountain nest, a Red Death. She was cruel and demanded we bring her food in exchange for the safety she provided to our eggs. When a dragon did not bring enough offerings, they were eaten by her."_

"That's terrible. No one could challenge her?"

Stormfly shook her head. _"No, she was too large, too cruel, and everyone was afraid of her. To keep our own lives, we raided Berk at least four times a week. For years, that was what we did. Many of us died in the raids; some of us were captured, like me, to serve as training beasts for the new vikings. To make the hunts more successful, Toothless used his fire and unrivaled aim to disable the catapults and watchtowers that the Hairy Hooligans had built. The vikings feared the sound of his flying as well as his name."_

Beata frowned at that. "The people love him now, though. What happened?"

_"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. That boy chose to befriend Toothless, learned our behavior and used it to battle us without killing. When his father led a raid to our nest with Toothless as their prisoner and guide, Hiccup chose to rescue his best friend. He freed us in the training arena to allow him and his friends to save the tribe from the Queen. By the end of that day, Hiccup and Toothless killed the Red Death, freeing us from her control. Without a queen, we lived with the Berkians, who chose to allow us to stay after Toothless saved Hiccup and proved that dragons and vikings could be friends."_

"That's amazing. So you have no alpha now?"

_"We have one. After this dark viking tried to control all of us with his Great Bewilderbeast, Toothless challenged him and asserted his right as alpha for the dragons of Berk. His strength of will and want to protect us allowed me and the other entranced dragons to break free from the Bewilderbeast's control and fight alongside Toothless."_ The Nadder bobbed her head at the end of the tale. _"And he has allowed us to live in peace ever since."_

Beata smiled and looked at the village below in a new light. "It's wonderful tuh know that such harmony is possible. Berk is lucky tuh have such wonderful leaders, and I'm honored that both Hiccup and Toothless welcome me here."

_"There is the elder you must be accepted by as well. She doesn't really speak, but she has influence from what I've seen."_

"Elders are the tradition-keepers of a tribe. It would be best tuh prove myself to her. Any advice, Stormfly?"

_"Be yourself, and make friends with vikings and dragons. Finding a companion would be the best thing to have, especially since you're new to both village and colony."_

The maiden nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, my friend." She scratched the Nadder in her favorite spot, and the dragoness purred and nudged her affectionately. The Terrible Terrors, jealous of the attention Stormfly was getting, crowded Beata and demanded for scratchings as well. By the time Astrid returned with Toothless, Stormfly was watching with amusement as Beata played with the Terrors by reflecting the light from her dagger onto the grass.

"Already found their weakness, huh?" Astrid laughed as she dismounted the drake. Beata turned her head to beam at the blonde before making the light zig-zag across the hilltop, three rambunctious Terrors in pursuit.

"I was polishing my blade when they attacked the beam it gave off. Now they don't need to wrestle me." The fiancé nodded in approval, making Beata feel more at home. Toothless spotted the light and pounced on it, joining the chase with the three smaller dragons. The maiden laughed and kept the game going for another few minutes before she put the dagger away.

"Sorry, guys," she said to the creatures who looked to her in confusion. "The sun's getting covered by the clouds, and it is time you all have lunch." At the mentioning of food, the Terrors made a break for the feeding station at the center of the village. Toothless, on the other hand, settled himself around the rock on which Beata sat.

"He already had his meal, and it's time for Stormfly to have hers." The Nadder gave an excited hop and trotted up to her rider, wings unfurled in anticipation of getting fresh food. Astrid stroked the dragoness's head and climbed into the saddle. "I'll be heading off now, but I'll see you tomorrow, right?" she asked.

"Sure, if my nanny here lets me outside again." Beata elbowed the Night Fury as she spoke, and he gave an indignant huff. The blonde laughed and waved before having her dragon take off. They circled above the pair for a moment, and the traveler heard the bride of the chief shout, "Check Toothless's saddle! Looks like something's on it!" before Stormfly took off in the direction of the forest.

Confused, Beata looked to the drake. Toothless turned around without being asked, revealing a bag that was tied to the saddle. Reaching carefully, she untied it from the rigging and unknotted the bag to find something wrapped in oilskin. It was hot to the touch, and when she opened it she found a roasted chicken nestled inside with a half-loaf of bread. She delicately plucked a piece of flesh from the bird, still fresh.

"Where did this come from?" she asked, surprised.

_"Astrid thought that you'd be hungry, and she knew that you couldn't stand and cook anything large, so she had a chicken prepared for you."_ Toothless sniffed the specimen and gave an approving nod. _"Eat. I'm sure it's delicious."_

Smiling at the gesture that Astrid gave, the maiden did as her friend suggested. She tasted the chicken, found it very savory and continued eating. The drake watched, happy that his friend was eating well. When half the chicken was gone and the crumbs were all that was left of the bread, Beata offered the rest of the chicken to him. "It shouldn't go to waste," she insisted.

Toothless rumbled in thought, gauging his hunger. By the time Hiccup and Valka came back, the food would be cold, so it shouldn't go to waste, at all. He watched as the dragon-child tossed the meat into the air, and he instantly seized it in his teeth and swallowed the chicken after several bites. He gave the maiden a grateful nudge before asking, _"Did you wanna stay outside a little longer?"_

"That'd be nice," she replied with a smile. The drake nodded and adjusted himself, allowing her to rest comfortably against him. She patted his side again before closing her eyes and napping, hoping that she would be able to recover her strength and be able to prove that she belonged on Berk with her new friends.

* * *

Hiccup shook his head, chuckling at what Beata had told him. "Yeah, that sounds like Snotlout all right. Didn't see him at the docks, but thanks for telling me about his dad. I'll stop by their house tomorrow or speak with him at the next meeting." The chief picked up a plate of steaming fish and set it on the table for everyone to eat. "Of course there's so many things to do already, but somebody's gotta do it."

"I could always ask about it," Valka offered, "I can hear what he has tuh say and bring it to ya, if not during that day then when ya get home."

"That'd be great, thanks. It'd make it easier to focus on winter preparations." The food was distributed amongst the people at the table, and Beata ate her food in silence. Hiccup glanced to the maiden and recalled something. "Oh, there was something that I needed to tell you, Beata."

The Valkyrie lifted her eyes from her plate, curious. "Hm?" she asked.

"You've been around for a while now, and you say that the wound is healing nicely, right?" When she nodded, he continued, "Well, the village wants to meet you, but I know that you can't walk around so easily just yet. Everyone is willing to wait until you can move with no trouble, but there is a sort of...tradition that we've developed over the past six years, and we want you to be a part of it."

"Oh. I suppose I would be able to do whatever tradition dictates, so long as it isn't fighting. Can't risk opening the cut all over again right after it heals."

Hiccup nodded. "Of course. I don't think it'll be too taxing, anyway." Seeing the question in the newcomer's eyes, he explained, "When a viking comes of age, we have them select a dragon as their companion. Sometimes a dragon or their offspring are inherited, but since you are from a different tribe, you're going to have to choose one for yourself."

"Alright, and does that involve wrangling? Rope, shield, whatnot?"

"Sometimes, but that's all up to you. Normally you would've gone under some training at the Academy, but apparently you've taught yourself to handle dragons with respect. With that in mind, I thought that it was safe for you to go through the Choosing process." The chief looked at his mother for help and the woman smiled and looked to Beata.

"Five days prior to the event, you will go among the colony of dragons and find a breed of dragon that you would prefer. This selection is usually shorter with the education given during schooling, but I'm sure you'll figure it out while you recover. From there you watch and make friends with any dragons you are interested in training. On the day of Choosing, you'll be asked to decide on which specific creature you want as your companion. You will then give it a name and announce it to the village with Gothi, the elder, as witness. She will then approve of your choice or not. If she allows it, then you may keep the dragon you chose; if not, then you will have to wait until the next year to try again."

Beata nodded thoughtfully. "Definitely makes sense for it to be so serious. No one wants to see a neglected dragon." She glanced to Toothless, who was enjoying his share of fish, and smiled. "Well, I'll start thinking about my choices now, and hopefully I'll come to a good decision come Choosing Day. Um, is there a date set for it, yet?"

"In about another four weeks, I think," Hiccup replied. "Once the Choosing is a week away, we can check your injuries and see if we need to postpone meeting the dragons. We all want you to heal properly before getting too close to hyper babies and the like."

"Right. Thanks for the concern. I'll be doing my best to get well enough as soon as possible, though it does take some exercise on my part." She gave the Night Fury a significant look. "If I were able to go outside more often, I could walk different terrain around the house and bring my muscles back to their original strength."

The drake gave a small growl with a roll of his eyes. Beata smiled and ate her fish, pleased with herself. Hiccup raised an eyebrow at the two before letting it slide. He knew that Toothless was protective of the maiden, so it did not surprise him too greatly that he would have tried stopping Beata from doing too much. Valka smiled as well and inquired, "You've been practicing some simple motions lately, yes?"

"Yeah, taking my boots on and off, folding blankets and walking around the main room. So far so good." Saying her success made her feel better, assuring herself that she was in fact recovering. Soon she would be able to help the villagers and choose her own dragon, making her twice as eager to get strong enough to run and shoot an arrow again. Remembering her lost bow saddened her, but she knew that she'd be able to make herself a new one once she was well enough to hunt and carve the wood herself.

The group soon finished their meal, and after some exchanges of good-night, Hiccup and Valka went upstairs to their rooms. Beata slowly made her way to the far corner of the room and dressed herself into looser clothes, which only made her wince a few times as she pulled the tunic over her head, before making her way to the bench. Toothless watched her carefully, ready to catch her. Despite the discomfort in her eyes, she set her lips in a determined line as she held her side tenderly. He gave a pleased rumble once she sat herself down on the bench.

_"That looked smoother than last night,"_ he commented.

"Thanks." The young woman unfolded the blanket and lied down on her back, staring at the ceiling. After a moment of thought, she asked, "Will I be able to find a dragon to be my companion? What if I choose wrong?"

The drake sat up and looked to the maiden. _"I'm sure that you'll pick a suitable friend. The dragons like you, as far as I can tell, and look forward to meeting you."_

Beata turned her head to face him. "Really? I always thought that dragons liked me was because I smell like the Grand Queen. Cloud Jumper says that's why I wasn't really threatened during my travels."

_"It might be a factor, but you're honest and have a strong will. They respect that, and when they see your kindness, they will know that any dragon would be lucky to have you."_ The Night Fury purred when the Valkyrie reached over and scratched at the roots of his ears.

"Thanks, Toothless," she said softly, staring at the fire at the center of the room. "Let's hope that they think me worthy, too."

* * *

**Hey everyone!**

**Hope you liked this chapter :) I'd love to know what you think, so please leave a review if you can! Much appreciated!**

**Oh, and my classes are going to be starting this week, just a warning. I'll do my best to update weekly (might need to move posting day from Wednesdays to Thursdays, but we'll see!). In the meantime, feel free to favorite and leave comments.**

**Thanks so much for sticking with my story and all the current favorites and followers! You guys are amazing! :D**

**~RedWolf210**


	10. The Choice

Chapter 10: The Choice

Hiccup set down his engraving tools and looked over his work carefully. After a moment of inspection he smiled in satisfaction and began polishing the wood and metal, allowing his mind to wander in the process. Winter was steadily approaching, and Beata's Choosing Day was only a week away. The village was buzzing with the excitement of meeting the new member of the Hairy Hooligans. People had begun visiting his house to see the maiden, sitting and walking around with Toothless. Several of the guests were younger vikings who want to see Beata after hearing Snotlout's dramatic description of her. Hiccup didn't worry about it, though, because his best friend would keep them at bay. All he wondered about was how she would handle choosing a dragon for herself - she may have befriended one Monstrous Nightmare, but being surrounded by dragons could prove dangerous.

"Hey, boss," called a young male voice. The chief broke free of his thoughts and glanced over his shoulder to find Felix, his first apprentice for the saddle shop. The boy was about fifteen years old, with dirty blonde hair and olive skin. Freckles covered his cheeks after being in the sun, tanning the leathers needed for the dragon saddles. His hazel-green eyes peered at the piece on the worktable and sparked with curiosity. "Who's that for?"

"Our newest recruit," Hiccup said. He finished wiping down the wood and gave it a final once-over before reaching down beside his stool and picking up a cylindrical container by its shoulder strap. He counted the contents, nodding at finding them all there and stood up, taking his finished product with him. "I'm going to head out now, make sure ya finish cutting the starting shapes of hides and bring in all the tanned leathers before nightfall."

"You got it, chief." The boy stepped aside and let Hiccup pass. The young man ruffled his apprentice's hair as he left.

"Don't hurt yourself, okay Felix?" he said genially.

"I won't, sir." The boy waved farewell before running to the back room and setting up shop for the morning clients for the saddle-room. The enthusiasm in the boy's eyes and energy in his actions made Hiccup smile. It was actually quite nice to have an apprentice. The boy learned fast, which made it all the better for Hiccup since he needed to get around the village as often and quickly as possible. Valka and Astrid had suggested it, especially after the insistence of having a dragon medic along with their resident dragon dentist, Gobber. Once Felix had been hired and taught most of the basics, Valka had moved on to set up a station for injured dragons. It was a good practice, and because she had lived with them for so long, diagnosing and treating the reptiles was hardly a problem. With this new progress, Hiccup had less to worry about.

The chief greeted any villager who hollered a good morning on his walk to the hill where his house was. He noticed the figure of one of the younger dragonets landing at the top of the hill and picked up his pace the slightest. When he reached the house, he saw Beata stroking the head of a baby Scuttleclaw, who easily towered over her. Being only nine months out of the shell, it was already three meters tall. It was currently craning his Zippleback-like head down for the maiden to scratch it. While he purred at the touch, Toothless bounded over to his rider and nudged him somewhat roughly.

"Hey, bud," Hiccup greeted, hugging the drake with one arm while hiding his gift behind him with his other. "Calm down, boy, don't wanna break her present, now, do ya?" The Night Fury rumbled in agreement and took several steps back. The young viking then looked past Toothless to see Beata smiling at him.

"Morning, chief," she called. After giving the Scuttleclaw a loving pat on the snout, the young woman walked over to him. Her gait had improved the past three weeks, and she hardly seemed to show any discomfort.

"Glad to see you looking better, Beata. I stopped by to see if you felt confident enough to go through with the Choosing?"

"Well, I have managed a good walk around the house, and there doesn't seem to be too much of a tightness in my side." The maiden raised her arms in a stretch, showing that she could and assuring herself that she was indeed healed. "I think I'll do well enough. As long as I don't wrestle with a Monstrous Nightmare."

"That's great," the chief said, beaming. "Perhaps we should test your muscles?" When the young woman tilted her head quizzically, Hiccup held out the gift to her. "A little "welcome home" present for you, Beata."

The dragon-child's eyes widened at the weapon in his hand. It was a wooden bow, and upon inspection she recognized that it was made of dark oak, smoothed and polished to glow in the light, but not so intense as to distract dragons or alert prey. Her focus went to the metal plates on the back of the bow, above and below the handhold. On each of these shining plaques was an engraving of a Night Fury, tails fanned out and their noses facing the rest where the arrow would be. With a closer look at the leather grip of the bow, Beata found a Monstrous Nightmare embossed upon it, giving the illusion that it was curled protectively around the weapon. The texture made by the artwork gave excellent grip, too. All the work was perfectly, beautifully done. The maiden broke her gaze away from the bow to look at the chief, her blue eyes moist.

"It's amazing," she managed to say after a moment. Her eyes went to the bow again as she let her fingertips run lightly over the engravings. "You didn't have tuh make this for me, Hiccup."

"Well, Eret told me how you like to hunt and lost your bow. Astrid mentioned that you loved archery, and I figured you would like to have the weapon of your choice with ya." The young man smiled softly at her surprise. "It wasn't trouble at all. In fact, it gave me something to do between my duties."

"How long did it take? I was planning on making one myself, but this...I couldn't do anything this detailed." Happiness and joy rushed through her at the kindness, and she abruptly threw her arms around the viking. "Thank you!"

Hiccup almost fell over with the sudden weight thrown against him, but he recovered and managed to hug her back. "You're welcome, Beata." He let her stay there for a moment while Toothless sat quietly, watching them. At the sound of the drake's rumble, she stepped back. "So," Hiccup prompted, shouldering off the quiver of arrows, "wanna do some target practice?"

The Valkyrie accepted the quiver and strapped it on, a weight that she was accustomed to having on her back. She looked at the bow again before grinning at her chief and his Night Fury. "I'd be happy tuh get some shooting done."

* * *

Peering down the length of her arrow, Beata waited as her prey slowly walked into her line of fire. The buck came into the grove, nibbling at the frosted morning grass. The dragon-child took a silent breath. She released the arrow on the exhale, and the deer started as the projectile found its mark. He took several uneasy steps before falling to the ground. The huntress counted to fifty then climbed down from her perch in the lower branches of a pine tree. She examined the buck before pronouncing it dead, pulling out the arrow as Astrid emerged from a hidden place in an opposite tree. The blonde stared at the deer and the single weapon in surprise.

"Wow," she breathed, "That was a neat shot, and he didn't even bolt."

"Thanks," Beata replied. She wiped the blood off the arrowhead and shaft with some icy grass before patting it dry on her pants. She stored the projectile in her quiver, indigo feathers facing up. "I like to take the shot when I'm certain that it'll do as I wish. No reason tuh have the prey suffer if it's for food."

Astrid nodded in agreement. It was something she could understand, given the gentleness that she saw in her new friend. Still, seeing the focus and fluidity of the maiden's shooting made a chill run down her spine. Finding that Hiccup wasn't exaggerating her skills, the blonde concluded that he wasn't crushing on her as she had teased. "Shall I go get Stormfly?" she asked a moment after her friend's comment.

"Sure." Beata smiled, not telling that she had noticed the stare and subtle fear that went through Astrid's eyes as she took in the downed buck and its quick end. There was enough surprise and awe in her gaze that made the dragon-born feel more comfortable than when she hunted with villagers back in Stein. Astrid whistled for her dragon, almost wolf-like in sound, and Stormfly dropped into the clearing. The Nadder nudged her rider happily and received a scratch on the neck for her promptness.

"Are you okay with her carrying the buck in her talons?" the blonde asked. "She won't damage the meat too much, we carry live sheep every so often and they aren't harmed."

"I'm sure Stormfly will be careful with the kill." Beata approached the dragoness and rubbed her offered snout with affection. "Ready to fly back to the village?" she inquired the beast.

The Nadder bobbed her head enthusiastically, and Astrid allowed Beata to sit in front for the ride home. "Might as well start practicing your flying now, right?" the blonde replied when the maiden tried to decline. "Don't worry, she's good with new riders, and you're not imposing," she insisted.

"If you say so…" The raven haired Valkyrie held the handles of the saddle tightly before telling their ride that they were ready. Stormfly launched herself into the air, and once they leveled out Beata glanced underneath them to see that the dragoness hadn't forgotten the buck. They set their course for Berk, and the newcomer suggested that they share the kill.

"I'll be making a stew with what I can," she explained, "but it really is a lot of meat. I'm sure you and your father would like some good venison."

"Are you sure?" Astrid asked.

"Of course, you gave me that chicken a while ago, and this is my thanks. You don't have tuh cook it now. Having it dried and salted would be a great idea as a snack during the winter, right?"

"True." The blonde smiled at the kindness. "Thanks, Beata."

"No problem. We help each other when we can, right?" The maiden turned a smile to her friend and gazed at the horizon before them. "It's so nice to fly," she said wistfully. "I've never felt so at peace bafore."

"It feels nice, doesn't it?" Remembering the day, Astrid asked more seriously, "Are you sure about which dragon breed you want?"

Beata smiled. "Of course. I'm a huntress more than a fighter, so I think a Deadly Nadder is perfect. They can shoot their tail-spines with great accuracy to hunt prey and cripple foes; their sense of smell is keen enough to track people or animals; they are quick on land and air, and their aerial acrobatics is ideal for avoiding attacks by and thrown or launched weapons, even some fireballs." The young woman patted Stormfly's neck. "And they are wonderfully loyal and a joy to play and spar with. Isn't that right, girl?"

The dragoness bobbed her head in flight, making Astrid smile. "Those are great reasons," the rider said. "And with that I will gladly help you find your own dragon."

_"I will help, too,"_ Stormfly chimed. _"After we eat, of course."_

Beata beamed and scratched the Nadder affectionately. "Thanks, both of you." The trio landed on the hill behind the Haddock House, and the two Valkyries dismounted. With quick work, Beata skinned and gutted the buck while Astrid brought the cooking pot outside for the fresh meat to be transferred. Deciding that she would have the rest of the venison dried, Astrid set about that while the meat boiled with some water back at the fire pit inside the house. Beata rushed to the back of the house again to check the small garden of herbs that Valka kept nearby and took some back inside to place in the stew. With several dry ingredients and roots, the food was taking on a pleasant smell. To help air out the hot room, the women kept both doors open to allow a cross-breeze. Stormfly guarded the back door after being treated to the organs of the deer, and Cloud Jumper lingered at the front of the house, curious by the new smell.

Astrid entered from the back, having completed the preparations for drying the salted meat, and sat at the table. She watched Beata cook for a while before asking, "When did you learn to shoot like you did?"

The maiden paused in her stirring to think about it. "I watched my mother - well, foster mother, Frida - shoot her bow and arrow when I was little, and it intrigued me. When I was eight, Frida finally allowed me to have my own bow and quiver and taught me how to shoot. I took to it naturally, and eventually I was one of the best marksmen in Stein, aside from her, of course."

"That's cool. And you're good at throwing knives, too, right? Eret told me what you did to the guy trying to attack him."

"Having over ten years of practice is a great help. I may not do as well with axes like you, or swords like Eret, but if I have knives and arrows I can do almost anything. Most times I like avoiding confrontation - not really part of the Viking way, I know - but I've gotten enough close combat experience to survive." Beata then thought about it for a moment before touching her left side. "Then again I wasn't accustomed to an axe being used at close range like Ulrik did."

Astrid nodded. "And that's fine. You survived, and that's what you said you could do. Nothing wrong with getting a few scars out of it."

"Right," Beata laughed. She checked the contents of the cooking pot and tasted a sample. She then added a few more herbs and let it simmer. "So," she prompted in a more businesslike tone, "What's the best way to approach a Deadly Nadder?"

"Well, it may seem crazy, but it's best to approach one from behind. As long as you show that you aren't a threat, the Nadder will allow you to smooth its tail. From there, it'll see you as a friend."

"Interesting. I'll keep that in mind while I check them out today." The maiden looked to the brewing stew and gave it a quick stir. "Where are we going, again?"

"Since the colony just about doubled with the addition of Valka's nest of dragons, some of them have spread throughout the Isle of Berk. Others hide in the forests closer to here, but each type has their preferred habitat. There's a large forest on the easternmost side of the island where most of the untrained Deadly Nadders like to nest. They raise their young there and make trips to Berk for food and socialization. If we leave before noon, then we should be able to reach their forest after the adults have finished eating, making them less likely to feel threatened. I can drop you off there and come back for you before sunset, too."

"That'd be great. The food should be done in another five minutes." A thought came to Beata. "How does Gothi know when to approve of a viking's choice of dragon?"

Astrid shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but she has a knack for divination and omen reading. She'll probably look at how the two of you interact and see details that would show her who you are."

"I see. Well, then I'd best choose very carefully." The two young women shared a grin, and soon enough the stew was finished. Both Valkyries had a bowl for their somewhat late breakfast. Finding themselves well fed, Astrid went to the back of the house to close the door and bring Stormfly around while Beata banked some coals under the cooking pot to keep its contents warm until Valka returned from her new job. From there it could be kept warm for Hiccup. The maiden smiled at her cooking and hoped that her hosts would like it. She then collected her cloak and draped it over her shoulders, hiding her new black leather armor that Valka helped outfit and cut. Making sure she kept minimal weapons, Beata took up her bow and quiver and exited the house, closing the door behind her. She turned to find Cloud Jumper staring at her.

"Hey," she greeted him. He came close for some stroking of his brow spines, warbling his own hellos. Stormfly landed moments later, and Astrid waited for her to climb aboard. Beata nodded to her friend and smiled at the Stormcutter. "Wish me luck, boy."

_"You'll do fine,"_ he assured her. _"Good luck."_ The drake watched as the dragon-child mounted the Nadder, and with a wave from both riders and a bob of the head from Stormfly, the three took off.

* * *

Beata waved farewell as Astrid and Stormfly took off for their shift on patrol. Once the rider and dragoness were out of sight, the maiden walked in the direction that Astrid had indicated would be the main part of the nesting grounds. Beata made her steps soft but not silent, purposeful but not slow. She wanted them to know she was there, but she did not want to come off as challenging. She listened carefully for any dragons as she made her way and began to hone in on the sound of conversing voices. Eventually the forest gave way to a small meadow where at least thirty Deadly Nadders were resting.

Three of the largest Nadders turned in her direction, and Beata smiled and greeted, "Hello, fine hunters. I am Beata, and I've come tuh get tuh know everyone in order tuh fulfill a task given be the alpha and the chief of Berk."

The dragon closest to her took a step closer, nostrils flaring. _"A new one has come to select a companion,"_ it reported to its comrades.

"Indeed, my friend," Beata replied. She smiled when the creature stared in surprise and bowed humbly. "I wish tuh better acquaint myself with all, that way the mighty dragon I choose will be comfortable with me as their rider."

All eyes were on the maiden, studying her. Several of the glances flickered to the Nadder standing five meters away, the only one who had spoken. Taking it as the sign of deference, Beata directed her eyes to that dragon, calm and patient. It seemed to think its words over before bobbing its head. The voice was aged but feminine. _"Very well, Beata. You may explore this area, but do not harm the babies."_

"Of course. Thank you very much. What may I call you, friend?"

_"I am Cloud Skimmer, eldest of the Deadly Nadders."_

The dragon-child inclined her head. "I'm honored to make your acquaintance, Cloud Skimmer." She walked toward the dragoness, hand held out for her to take in her scent. As the lead dragon showed in interest in her, the other Nadders behind Cloud Skimmer followed suit, sniffing the newcomer and introducing themselves. After two hours of conversation with the dragons, Beata sat in the shade of a pine tree and watched them mill about, observing their natural behavior. One of her potential choices, a rich blue Nadder named Sky, was preening herself by the pool of water they used for a drinking source and a mirror. The younger dragons were running about the meadow, chasing one another in a game of tag. Several other dragons were play-fighting, practicing their pouncing and their aggressive tail displays. Beata watched the latter activity with interest, noting that the most popular target of their attacks and spite was the smallest Nadder. It was the most unique of the dragons that she had seen in the meadow, being a deep purple with a lavender belly and ocean blue stripes on its tail. The creature's spines were a pale purple tipped with the same blue from its scales. They also lied flat as the dragonet ducked away from the others and retreated. Whenever it tried to escape, the other blue and green tinted dragons boxed it in and nipped at the oddball's skin. At one point the purple Nadder hissed and flared its tail, which brought the others' bristling and chasing the Nadder from the circle.

"Is that normal?" Beata asked Sky. The adult Nadder lifted its head from the placid water to glance at the fleeing purple dragonet.

_"Yes, poor thing,"_ the dragoness clicked. _"Always chased around, but that happens when you're the runt."_

The maiden nodded slowly, watching the little Nader find refuge in a sunny patch of tall grass. After a moment of debate, Beata stood up and made her way to the dragonet. She waited a meter away and spoke softly. "Hello there, little one. May I sit with you?"

_"Are you here to tease me?"_ came a small high voice, allowing the young woman to conclude it as female. _"If you are, then go away, before I use my tail!"_ The purple and blue tail was raised, spines ready. Carefully, Beata moved around the baby dragoness and had her hand held out in a placating gesture.

"I'm not going to taunt you, I promise. I am here as a friend, my dear. Please, let me sit with you?" She waited quietly, keeping an eye on the barbed tail. Her heart thudded in her chest for a long time before the Nadder lowered her weapon. Taking Astrid's advice, Beata slowly approached the dragonet and carefully flattened the creature's venomous spikes, stroking from the base to the tip. As she did so, the purple reptile relaxed and shook herself. She turned her head to look at the Valkyrie with apologetic golden eyes.

_"Sorry for threatening you," _she crooned. _"No one is ever really nice to me."_

"I've noticed, and let me tell you now that I'm not like those other dragonets. As a matter of fact, I was more like you back where I lived." The dragonborn sat down on the grass, and the small dragoness settled as well, wrapping her tail around herself.

_"I thought people were nice in Berk?"_

"I wasn't born in Berk. I was a viking from Stein, which is very far from here. The people there didn't like me much and chased me away, so I wandered the lands til I found Berk." The maiden smiled. "And then I made many friends. Perhaps you would like tuh come with me tuh the village sometime?"

The dragonet's head perked up at the words, but her eyes were unsure. _"What do you mean?"_ she asked hesitantly.

"I'm asking if you would like to be my companion. I will be your friend, and we can get used to Berk together. How's that sound?"

_"Being somewhere I can be seen as a normal dragon would be nice. All I get here is hisses and dragons telling me I'm too different."_ She lowered her head in sorrow. _"Would others only see me for my colors in Berk?"_

"Well, they're bound to notice, but they would admire you, dear one. Look," Beata gently took the tip of the dragoness's left wing and lifted it, exposing the blue and purple patterns. "These wings are beautiful! I honestly think that the dragons here are just jealous of your unique coloring. You're a very gorgeous hunter, if my words have any say."

The dragonet looked at herself and tilted her head at the patterns that she had once seen as the mark of an outcast. Given a moment to look at it differently, just as they were, made the creature purr and preen herself. _"It is a very lovely blend,"_ she allowed. Amber eyes peered at her questioningly. _"Would it not suit you to choose a larger, older dragon who can carry you back to Berk?"_

Beata smiled. "You're a smaller dragon, true, but you will be larger once you've reached maturity. I can always help out around the village before being able tuh go on flight patrol. We can learn about the village together." She scratched her friend's neck, earning a thankful nudge in reply. "So, what do you think?"

_"I'd be happy to be your companion."_ The dragonet peered at the other dragons first. _"Would you want to check with the other dragons first? Maybe I'm not the best riding partner for you."_

The maiden chuckled at the Nadder's uncharacteristic modesty. She then patted the dragoness's side, nodding her head thoughtfully. "Tell ya what? I will go speak and work with some other dragons during my visits, but for at least an hour per visit I want tuh spend time with you. If you want to prove tuh yourself that you are strong enough tuh be my companion, then we can see what you can do. The other dragons can join, too, so it is fair. How's that sound?"

_"Sounds good."_ The idea of putting the bullies in their place was a tempting one. The dragonet nudged her new human friend affectionately. _"How long until you head back to Berk?"_

"Well, Astrid said that she would need tuh rest Stormfly after their patrol, which takes about five hours on average. Resting could take an hour, and it'll take a quarter to get here. It's been three hours since she left, so she should be back around sunset."

The dragoness bobbed her head. _"What will you do in the meantime?"_

"If you'd like, I can talk with you for a while more before I have tuh hunt for some food."

_"Okay, and maybe I can join you? Food sounds good."_

Beata smiled. "Sure, I'd like that. You can keep me from getting lost." The small dragon gave a laughing squawk, which the maiden accepted and chose to answer the Nader's questions about Berk and her friends there. As they spoke to one another, the other dragons in the meadow watched, intrigued or confused. Cloud Skimmer's tail swished thoughtfully while watching the two outcasts interact. Eventually she bobbed her head and settled herself by the water for a nap.

* * *

Hiccup finished adjusting the last strap on Toothless's saddle and completed a final once-over before stepping back. It was the day of Beata's Choosing, and it was his duty to guide the new Berkian to the nesting site where she had found her companion. The sun was rising higher into the sky, the sound of dragon calls echoing in the air. Most of the village was beginning to rise already, so he knew that by the time he and Beata returned to Berk, the populace would be at the training ring that was once used as a killing arena for initiating vikings. What used to be a place of fear and death was now a symbol of mending their relationship to the dragons, and everyone had embraced the tradition of Choosing once they witnessed the love and friendship that arose through Hiccup and his friends' example. Now someone else who shared their appreciation for the brilliant creatures was to become an official member of Berkian society, which made the young chief smile.

"I should go make sure that Beata is awake and ready to leave soon," the viking said to his dragon. He and Toothless had woken up before dawn to have a quick circuit of the island to make sure that no trappers were making a move toward the village. Ice had begun to stick to the grass and the rims of the pond in the cove, heralding the arrival of Winter. Once the snow and ice decided to stay, it would become difficult for the dragon trappers to check and set any snares or other harmful traps. Finding that no tracks were made in the snow surrounding the northern mountains that he had last seen their base, Hiccup had made his way back to the village. He had figured that Beata would be awake by the time he returned, and after readjusting the Night Fury's saddle for the ride to the nesting grounds, she still hadn't come outside. Now he was hoping that his guest remembered what day it was.

Toothless rumbled as the chief walked toward the door. The viking paused and looked to the dragon, who suddenly came close and tried nudging him away from the house. Hiccup sighed and gently pushed his friend away. "She said that she was well enough to go through with the ceremony, bud. No need to baby her."

The drake growled and shook his head before giving another insistent shove. His rider patted his dragon's neck and assured him, "I know you did a great job running patrol this morning. You were excellent, bud, and I promise to get you some salmon after I make sure that Beata is awake and ready to leave." Without further distractions, the young chief opened the door enough to slip through without Toothless barging in and entered the house. He glanced around the great room and did not find the maiden in bed, but where he did see her brought a flush to his cheeks.

Beata was using the large metal tub to cleanse herself of any dirt and bad luck that would ruin her chances to please Elder Gothi in her choice of dragon. The water was hot but not scalding. It relaxed her muscles and her mind, something that would help her greatly in the events she had to do today. It had been a long time since she was able to bathe properly, and the maiden relished the luxury, washing herself very attentitively, scrubbing her arms, legs, and her back. The latter was facing Hiccup when he walked in, showing the young man her birthmark.

Valka had mentioned the tattoo to him the first night they met Beata, but the chief could not have expected such a stunning mark. The entire circular design looked to be five centimeters in diameter, placed between the shoulderblades, where wings would sprout from a dragon. Its shape did indeed form the profile of a curled Night Fury, much like the emblem that hung above the Training ring. Seeing the mark's similarities shocked the young man, and there was suddenly no doubt in his mind that her elder would have believed that Beata was destined for something about the dragons and Berk. Just as quickly as the thought crossed his mind, the Night Fury mark vanished as the owner of the tattoo whirled around to lock gazes with him. Her blue eyes widened momentarily before they narrowed in a glare. A high pink rose to Beata's cheeks.

"Hiccup!" she gasped, wrapping her arms over her breasts. The sound of her voice and its shock broke the chief free of his staring, allowing him to look at the ground in shame. His hands went up to prevent him from seeing her naked again as he turned toward the door.

"Sorry!" he cried, flinching out of reflex. "I thought that you were still asleep."

Beata glowered at the cringing viking for another moment before settling in the cooling water of her bath. She heaved out a calming breath and closed her eyes. She knew that her host wasn't a pervert, especially when he was so flustered at finding her naked. Deciding to let the intrusion slide, she opened her eyes and watched her chief a little longer before speaking. "Well," she said, "I'm very much awake and, as you can see, preparing for the day ahead. I will be done washing in five minutes and dressed in three. Did you need tuh fetch anything before I leave this tub?"

"Oh, um, no. No, I don't think so, just came to check on you. I'll go wait outside with Toothless. Sorry, again." Hiccup pushed the door open and slipped out into the cold air of early morning. He shut the door and leaned against it, letting the heavy oak knock on the back of his head. After a moment of collecting himself, the rider looked to his best friend, who sat in front of him with a look on his face that clearly declared that he got what he deserved.

"Fine," Hiccup sighed, "I admit it, you tried to warn me. Now I know, so stop giving me that look and let's get you that meal before we leave." Toothless brightened at the prospect of fish and happily followed the chief. It didn't stop him from having a smug expression on his draconic face, though. By the time Toothless had his after-flight meal, Beata was outside waiting at the front of the house. Her hair was still damp from the washing, but she kept the strands out of her face with a high, tight braid that ended at the small of her back. Remembering what her back looked like, the chief blushed momentarily before shaking the thought from his head. Instead he smiled and greeted, "Mornin' Beata. Ready to head out?"

"Yes, and good morning tuh you, too," she replied whilst tightening her cloak around her shoulders. After assuring him that she ate breakfast prior to washing, the two vikings mounted Toothless, who launched them into the air. He climbed to gliding altitude and stayed there, flying at a steady pace northeast. As the wind tugged at their hair and stung their faces, Hiccup felt himself relax. Flying was something that would always lift his spirits, soothing his flustered thoughts of what happened earlier. For several minutes he was able to ignore the incident, but soon enough the tattoo came to mind, bringing long-buried questions with it.

Toothless crooned worriedly, and Beata glanced over her friend's shoulder to peer closely at his face. "Hiccup, are you okay?" she asked.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." His words were rushed, and he knew that the maiden was staring at him. He tried to brush it off by keeping his gaze ahead, but her hand touched his shoulder gently.

"It's clear you have questions, so ask, Hiccup." The giving of permission made him glance back to her, and Beata offered, "If you think I'm still mad about earlier, I'm not."

"No, that's not it," he said with a flush of his cheeks. He looked at the rocks and hills passing below. "I was wondering about your tattoo - which is the only thing I saw, I promise!"

He listened to the Valkyrie's silence. "What do you want tuh know?" she questioned. She was aware that she owed him an explanation, having already explained some of her story to his mother and Astrid. It was only fair to tell him what he asked for, especially since he was the one who helped save her. That, and he was going to be her chief, so she needed to answer anything he wanted to know. It was how she worked, how she was raised.

Hiccup thought about his words for a moment. "How did you get a tattoo of a Night Fury on your back? From what I know, seeing one is rare for people, and your mark looks very accurate. Do...Are Night Furies found where you lived before, in Stein?" He held his breath, waiting for a reply.

"I hadn't seen one before in my life, until I came here, that is. And it's not a tattoo," she said softly. The wind almost took it away, but the chief heard it. When he looked back to study her, she was looking at the landscape beneath them. "I was born with this mark, Hiccup. I don't know how it got there, if it's a tattoo at all, but it was there for as long as I can remember. I couldn't ask my birth parents because they were nowhere to be found, and my foster parents never told me about it either."

"But your elder said that you were meant to come to Berk. Was it because of your...birthmark?"

"I suppose so. She never told me outright, even before she died she only said that I was meant to bring peace and to trust my dreams. She gave me her dagger as a sign that she would always protect me." Beata held a hand to her chest, where her treasured weapon was hidden under her clothes. "Never once did she mention my mark."

The young man let go of one of the handles to his saddle and rested it on the hand touching his shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss, Beata. Pardon my asking, but you said that that dagger belonged to your grandmother. Was she the elder you're talking about?"

"She wasn't my biological grandmother, if that's what you're asking. She was the first person tuh take me in. I was a babe when they found me outside the village. No one wanted tuh deal with me because I wasn't theirs, and I was found by dragons, not really the best omen for them. Only Eleanor Blomgren took me as her own, giving me her name tuh prove tuh the villagers that I belonged. After she passed, Chief Einar saw it his duty tuh care for me. He and Frida knew of my mark, but they didn't tell me either. I guess they thought that it would make me feel more different than the other vikings."

"Did you feel any different when you found out about it?"

Beata smiled sadly. "Honestly, it seemed tuh help explain why people avoided me. I didn't feel more different, but it simply showed me what kind of person I am." She shrugged. "Though I noticed the mark after I left Stein, so it couldn't have made me feel less a viking because I was already gone."

"That reminds me," Hiccup said with a frown. "Why did the villagers chase you out in the first place?" He listened to the silence, patient and understanding. He knew that if she did not want to talk about it, she would say so, and he wouldn't push it.

To his surprise, she answered. "I was hunting with my foster brothers, and a Deadly Nadder tried to steal our kill. Her warning came loud and clear to me, but not just by hissing. I heard her voice, her words." The maiden laughed half-heartedly. "I honestly thought that all dragons could speak and be understood - we never had dragons come so close to Stein due to our arrows and our spears - so I spoke to her. I managed to get her to go away with the kill and not our lives, but my brothers were afraid of me. Gunnar, the oldest, called me a freak and threw his axe at me. Now that I think about it, I must've been speaking in dragon tongue when I tried helping them."

The chief glanced back to see Beata's serious face, and before he could say how crazy it sounded, he remembered what she said when he first spoke to her. "So when you said Toothless told you my name, and his I'm sure, and that we're companions, you weren't kidding…"

"Correct. And that's how I found my way here, through Flame Runner. When Gunnar told the villagers about the Nadder, they thought that I was a witch who set the dragon on Gunnar and Birger, who were the only ones injured. I hadn't wanted tuh kill her, and they got hurt in the process." The girl looked away in shame. "That more than anything brought me to run away. When I took one last stop at the village to take my things, Chief Einar told me where Eleanor wanted me to go, and then I left."

Toothless rumbled in sympathy, and both Hiccup and Beata patted his neck in assurance. The former kept his gaze on his dragon a moment before having a thought. "So those times that you and Toothless were together while I was out, were you speaking to each other?"

"Yes, but I manage to speak as a human while understanding Toothless. Couldn't have people hear me spitting like a dragon, right boy?" The Night Fury bobbed his head, and Hiccup gave a pensive frown.

"So what does dragon language sound like anyway?" he asked.

"What you hear: hissing, roaring, squawking, growling, and rumbling are emphasized with body language to produce dragon-speech. I can understand dragons perfectly, and they can hear me well enough to know what I'm saying."

"And you can make those sounds?"

"Yup. Care for a demonstration? I can ask Toothless any question that you and he would be the only ones to know the answer to, so then when I answer right you'll have proof of my abilities. You can even whisper the question to me so he doesn't get hints on what you're asking and have the answer beforehand."

The viking thought about it for a moment. He then carefully turned toward her as she leaned over to listen to his question. Beata nodded at the words and leaned around the rider to speak to the drake.

_"What did it take for you to trust Hiccup?"_ she asked, heard as a rumble that heightened in pitch as any question could. The sound didn't seem like it should've been able to come from her, but the young chief knew that the noise wasn't made by Toothless.

The Night Fury gave a thoughtful rumble. "_First off, he freed me from a trap instead of killing me. When he saw that I was unable to fly out of the cove I landed in, he brought me a fish as a peace offering. Not trusting a Viking, I told him to disarm himself before taking the food. Finding it rude to eat all the fish, I gave him back half, which he ate and made this strange face he calls a smile. At the beginning I found his curiosity annoying and tried to get away from him, but soon enough he showed me that he was different than other Vikings. He sketched markings to look like me, and I returned the favor. When I realized that all he wanted was to be a friend to me, trusting me to not hurt him while he presented his vulnerable hand and back to my face, I allowed him to touch me. I still was unsure, but I knew that he wouldn't harm me, nor would I him."_ He gave a pleased sound and added, _"Hiccup is the best friend that I am thankful for every day. He gave me my flight back, and he gave me a better life."_

Beata smiled and sat up. She relayed the story to the chief, making sure to keep the details such as the smile and the sketching. As she translated the series of growls and roaring barks from Toothless, Hiccup's eyes widened. By the end of her answer, the viking was staring down at his dragon, surprised to hear his thoughts and memories. The young man smiled, and scratched his Night Fury's chin. "Thanks, bud. You always find ways to surprise me, and I'm glad to have met you, too." The drake purred and shook happily, smiling up at Hiccup, who ended up beaming in return. The rider glanced back at his passenger and said, "Thanks, for letting me know what he thinks."

Beata smiled. "It's my pleasure." She was happy to have helped them communicate more directly, and she was amazed by the bond between the viking and his dragon. It was a true friendship, born of mutual trust and faith. She hoped that she could find that with her chosen companion.

Hiccup nodded and looked ahead. Upon surveying their surroundings, the trio were almost to the nesting grounds. "So, dragon whisperer," he said with a grin, "what's the plan on finding your dragon?"

"Oh, right." Beata smiled and explained, "Once we're over the lake in the nesting grounds, I'm going to whistle for her. She's a dragonet, so she's a little small to be carrying me. Would Toothless need to rest before flying back, or can we just turn around once Archer joins us?"

"Well, this guy here can run a four hour patrol with no issues, so another twenty minutes won't kill him, right bud?" Toothless gave an affirmative roar and a small surge of speed. Hiccup also commented, "It's much more efficient to have your dragon join us mid-flight, anyway. Are you sure...uh, Archer will be able to hear you?"

"Pretty sure, we've been practicing the past three days. She'll recognize it by the second time if not right away."

"Alright. We're almost to the lake. Get ready, Beata." Seeing her nod, Hiccup patted Toothless's side and urged him faster. They slowed once over the lake, and as they circled back toward Berk, Beata put two fingers in her mouth and gave three sharp notes, two shorter than the last. After three heartbeats she repeated the whistle, and a cry came from below. Toothless paused in his flight to hover above the water as a purple Nadder flew up from the shore to meet them. Hiccup gaped at the blue and lavender markings he had never seen before. When the dragonet hovered beside the Night Fury, amber eyes found Beata on his back while her head bobbed in greeting.

"Hello, Archer," she called. "Ready tuh meet Gothi and the Berkians?"

The Nadder gave an excited nod and flapped her wings double time. The maiden laughed and instructed the dragoness to follow Toothless. The group then continued on their way to the village, Nadder trailing alongside the Night Fury. Hiccup glanced at the dragonet several times before asking, "So, why'd ya name her Archer?"

"She is a skilled tracker and an excellent shot. Out of the dragons that I would choose as my companion, she was the only one to hit every target I gave her. I admire a good shot, and she can throw her tail spines with amazing accuracy." The purple Nadder bobbed her head at the praise, making Beata smile. "She's a sweetheart. Poor thing was an outcast in her nesting group, so I knew how she felt. I'm hoping that Berk will give her the confidence boost she needs."

"Huh, a Deadly Nadder that isn't completely vain? Interesting."

Toothless gave a doubtful grumble. _"I saw her admiring her reflection before she came up to meet us,"_ he said.

_"I don't stare at it all day!"_ Archer interjected. She then looked bashfully at her rider. _"But I've been noticing how pretty my colors are compared to the others. Now they're jealous that I can shoot and hunt better than them. And the ones who teased me are angry that I got to be partners with a beautiful and dangerous viking lady."_

Beata smiled and said, "I'm glad that you're seeing your skills and differences as positive things, my dear." She looked to Hiccup and said, "Perhaps she's on the road to being a normal Nadder, beauty and all."

The chief laughed and replied, "Well, you asked for it. Hey, Archer, think you can handle a quicker pace? We can shave off three minutes if we speed up a bit." Instead of nodding, like he expected, the dragonet shot out ahead of Toothless, who made a surprised yelp. He caught up to the purple creature and took lead, giving the young reptile a reproachful look before focusing on the route.

"She's a sprinter," Beata said with a shrug. "She'll have a ways to go before maintaining that speed." The rest of the flight was in general silence, interrupted with the maiden's encouraging words to her companion. Soon enough they were flying over the village, passing by the mountainside where the carving of a large, quintessential viking stood watch over the homes. Toothless made his way to the old battle arena, now repurposed as the Dragon Training Academy and Choosing Arena. After calling to Archer about the best way to land, the Night Fury landed first. Beata dismounted smoothly as her Nadder settled on the stone floor. Hiccup alighted from his place on his dragon and walked to the place where a small old woman was standing, closer to the gates once used to house dragons. The chief inclined his head respectfully to the woman, and she nodded in return. After the tribe's leader and the aplpha dragon took their place behind the elder, Gothi's withered hand motioned Beata and her dragon to approach, and they did.

Following Hiccup's example, the maiden bowed her head a little lower to show more deference. The Nadder mimicked her rider and gave a bow as well, which made the elder smile gently. She looked at Beata in askance, and the Valkyrie touched her dragon's shoulder and spoke, her voice loud enough to reach the spectators surrounding the arena.

"Honored Elder Gothi, I would be honored if I could introduce you to my friend, Archer. She has come to be my companion, and we look forward to flying the skies together as kindred spirits. May we have your blessing?"

The old woman's pale grey-blue eyes stared at the maiden for a moment, studying her. She then shifted her gaze to the Nadder, who managed a look of respect that expressed her unyielding choice of rider. Archer wanted to be Beata's friend, her dragon. Surely the elder must see that? Gothi shuffled around the pair, looking at them from all angles as her large walking stick clacked against the floor. Having completed her inspection, the elder paused where she started and smiled. She shifted her grip on her staff and made an assenting nod. She then stood between the dragonet and Beata and raised her staff to the vikings watching. The world rang with a hearty cheer as the villagers of Berk rejoiced at the new addition to their tribe.

Beata's heart soared in delight as she was accepted into their lives. Once Gothi shuffled away with Hiccup and Toothless, Archer nudged her rider affectionately, careful with her horn. Beata smiled and stroked her neck, earning a happy squawk in return. Astrid appeared from the main gate where vikings entered the ring and ran up to the maiden, beaming.

"Congratulations!" she said cheerily. Her eyes went to Archer. "She's beautiful!" The blonde held her hand out for the Nadder to sniff, and the dragonet nudged the hand gently in response. Astrid grinned and looked to Beata. "The village is going to have a feast to celebrate this Choosing. What do ya say to a hunting party?"

"I think it'd be great to show how excellent a team we are." The raven haired maiden stroked her dragon's horn. "Archer is very good at tracking. We can find some good boar in no time!"

"That's ambitious for a first hunt with your dragon, but let's do it!" Astrid glanced to the dragonet, who stood with her head level with her rider's chest, and asked, "You ready for a good chase, Archer?" The Nadder bobbed her head excitedly and unfurled her wings in anticipation. "Good, let's go meet up with Stormfly and Toothless." The two Valkyries and dragoness dashed out of the arena, and Beata couldn't help but smile at being so welcomed into her new home.

* * *

**Yay! I reached 50 followers! Thanks to everyone who has read this story and reviewed it! I don't give many personal thanks, but I read your reviews and they make me smile. So, THANKS A TON!**

**I'll try to get the chapters up as quickly as I can, but classes are bogging me down. Hopefully I won't fall off the face of the earth ^^"**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter and will stay tuned for more! Thanks again everyone!**

**Until then!**

**~RedWolf210**


	11. Could It Be?

Chapter 11: Could It Be?

Beata was helping Valka with her work as a dragon surgeon. Now that Felix, Hiccup's apprentice, was more competent with leatherworking, the woman could leave the boy in the care of Gobber, allowing her to take Beata as her own apprentice in medical care for the village's companions. Most of the dragons that needed assistance are only there for injuries from too much roughhousing, flying accidents or some skirmishes with foreign dragons. There were still some drakes and dragonesses who fall ill, but Valka's knowledge of the species and experience among them had given her a good idea of what to use to ease their discomfort. Now part of the tribe, Beata was given several jobs to do to help the village. Being the best hunter, she was sent frequently to collect food for the Berkians, but then there was the kind, gentle nature that Valka saw as her potential to be a dragon healer.

Beata was holding one of the heads of a Hideous Zippleback in her lap while her mentor checked the dragon's left side. There was a long gash from where the creature ran into a sharp rock formation whilst performing maneuvers that particularly foggy morning. Valka spoke to her pupil aloud, narrating her thoughts, observations and actions.

"The wound isn't too severe, though if the rocks and dirt aren't removed from the cut, it'll get infected and prove quite uncomfortable." When she saw Beata nod, the woman asked for the bowl of hot water and a rag. "Cleaning the wound takes great care: don't press too hard, but be thorough." Turning her attention to the dragon. "Alright, boys, this is goin' tuh hurt." Valka soaked the rag in the hot water and wrung it partway before wiping at the edges of the wound. The Zippleback tried to buck, but Beata used her uncanny strength to hold the head in her lap steady.

"It's okay, friend," she cooed. Her voice was soft but seemed to resonate with a purr. Both heads stilled to stare at her, and she smiled warmly at them. "We're going to help you, but you both must be still." Making sure that no one else was in the shop, the maiden whispered encouraging words to the dragon heads in their language while Valka worked.

"Once the outside and inside of the wound is clean," the woman lectured, "Set the bowl at the table by the dragon and collect the clay jar marked "topical salve" and several squares of clean bandages." Beata watched as the dragon woman approached a shelf and selected the proper container. She settled by the injured dragon and continued, "Apply the salve tuh the wound, making sure that you cover the whole thing and some skin closest tuh the edges. Take your jar of glue and apply tuh the bandage first. This cut is longer than the bandage, so I need tuh apply glue only tuh the three sides immediately surrounding the wound. Carefully place this bandage on the injury. A second bandage piece is needed, so I add glue tuh the three sides ending over the cut and then another bit on the top of the bandage already on the dragon. Place second bandage carefully and check for any loose pieces." Valka looked over the cleaned and dressed gash and nodded. "And we're done."

Beata released the left head of the Zippleback, who purred and nudged her gently. The maiden stroked his snout. "You're welcome," she said in reply. The dragon heads turned to Valka and gave her a thankful nudging at well, which the woman returned with pats on their snouts. The Zippleback then strode out from under the stable-like area and took off into the air. Being a place where potentially large dragons would be treated, the dragon care station was near the edges of Berk, where several hundred square meters of trees had to be cleared to allow dragons to land, rest and wait for their turn. The two women went to stand in the afternoon sunlight, admiring the view of the sea as they ate their packed lunch.

"It's so nice being able tuh be a part of the village," the raven haired Valkyrie sighed.

"Were they that bad?" Valka asked, a concerned frown on her face. She knew that the young woman's past was sensitive, but when Beata wished to talk about it, she was ready to listen. The gentle coaxing helped the maiden speak.

"I don't think they really tried tuh make me feel at home. I was different, so they treated me different. No one was willing to give me any job besides hunting. One reason was because I was good at it, and the more likely reason was that tracking and hunting kept me away from the village most of the day. I took the hint and kept honing my skills, practicing at dawn and then during my hunts, lengthening my time away from their stares and whisperings."

Beata watched as a pair of Gronkles flew toward the village. "Here, I can walk around in broad daylight without being glared at from every angle. People actually greet me, smile, and mean it. I have friends here, in Berk, and I've never been happier, more like I belong." Her glacier blue eyes found her mentor's vibrant green ones. "Thank you, Valka, for teaching me what you know. I really like the idea of helping dragons recover. It gives me a chance to use my abilities without much scrutiny."

"I thought you'd appreciate that." The woman placed a gentle hand on her apprentice's shoulder. They smiled at one another, and Valka glanced to the skies, where a familiar roar came from the skies. A different Zippleback dove toward the center of the village, causing a shout of alarm to come from one of the four passengers on its back.

"That was the twins' dragon, right?" Beata asked.

Valka nodded, frowning. "They're supposed tuh be on patrol, and they have passengers." She knew that Ruffnut and Tuffnut could get distracted, but they rarely brought passengers along on their dragon. That certainty made suspicion fill her thoughts and worry turn in her stomach, causing the woman to start heading down toward the village. Beata followed close behind, a wariness on her face.

"Who do you think it is?" the apprentice prompted. As they jogged toward the open square, Beata noticed the dragons perching on top of houses to peer at the new guests. They did not seem nervous, but they were certainly intrigued. A general hissing came over the air, subtle to most but not to her. Her mentor seemed to notice their behavior as well.

"Can you tell what they are saying?" she tried.

The Valkyrie tilted her head, listening as they ran. "All I'm getting is "strangers, outsiders." Some are suggesting to find Toothless."

"That'd be a good idea. Find Hiccup and Toothless. They should be in the Great Hall, discussing another meeting before the storms come in. I will speak to Ruff and Tuff about who they brought. We'll wait in the square for you to bring our chief and alpha there."

Beata nodded. "Be careful," she cautioned. The older woman gave her an assuring smile before she picked up her pace, dashing further into the village. Beata quickly changed her direction and headed for the hill where the Great Hall stood. After catching her breath at the closed doors, she took one of the rings and tugged on it, dragging the door open. The sound of the creaking iron silenced the conversation as much as the sunlight that invaded the dim, torchlit room. Viking men looked at her, somewhat confused, as she walked into the room. Hiccup sat at the head of the table, his dragon sitting to his right. The latter brightened at the sight of her and slowly stood on all four paws, though the drake's green eyes were worried. He smelled a scent of unease, and he made a low quizzical sound. Ignoring the men watching her, Beata made her way to Hiccup's side. She then paused to his left and saluted him with a fist over her heart, much like how she greeted her foster father during his meetings.

"Sir," she said, falling on old habits and kneeling, eyes downcast. "Valka told me to fetch you. It seems that Ruffnut and Tuffnut have returned from their patrols with two strangers. The dragons are curious, and from the sound of it the vikings with the twins are not accustomed to flying."

Hiccup's eyes widened momentarily before he stood up. "Take me to them." He couldn't believe that the twins would bring strangers into the village. They could be trappers, for Odin's sake! Upon looking at the men gathered at the meeting table, their eyes said the same thing. Finding that they were in similar states of mind, none of them tried to stop their chief as he told Beata to stand and followed her out of the Hall. His dragon trailed after them, a shadow. Once back in the sunlight, Hiccup noticed Toothless pause and lower himself for the two vikings to get on. Neither questioned his decision and mounted the Night Fury, who leapt over the downgrade and began the glide to the village square where all the local dragons were staring.

Toothless looked at his comrades and asked them what was going on. An orange Monstrous Nightmare replied, _"Barf and Belch have brought two vikings who aren't from here. Valka is speaking with them."_

The Night Fury glanced to Beata, and she relayed the news to Hiccup. "Your mother says that she was going to keep them in the center until you get there." After a moment she asked, "Do you think they're hostile?"

"That's why we're going there on a dragon's back. Best to have the upper hand." The young chief did not like to intimidate or harm people unnecessarily, but since the trappers' appearance in the Isle of Berk, he had learned not to take chances. His dragon rumbled in agreement with his explanation, happy that the rider understood why he had insisted on flying there.

The trio circled the square, taking in the scene below while Barf and Belch took to the skies. The two dragon heads nodded to their alpha in deference while their riders looked to their chief with somewhat worried expressions. They recieved a nod from Hiccup, and the Zippleback took its leave. Toothless was smooth in his landing, all feline grace and regality. The chief looked down at the two men standing before Valka, noting their large build that was standard of vikings. The taller of the pair had somewhat long brown hair that was tied in a small braid at the nape of his neck. Thick brows rested above deep brown eyes that showed a similar scrutiny. Instead of a beard, the man's jaw was covered with a scar, the skin dark and textured like melted wax. This marring of the flesh climbed up his right cheek, giving the viking an overall savage appearance. Standing beside him was an equally dour warrior with dark blonde hair and intelligent hazel brown eyes that noted all the dragons surrounding them. He was slightly less muscular than the scarred man, but his body language showed that he was a skilled fighter, prepared to roll at a moment's notice.

Valka saluted her son as she inclined her head. "My chief, these two men are without a boat. Theirs crashed on the rocks west of here, and they are in need of supplies for their journey."

"We don't want to intrude," spoke the scarred viking, his voice strong and resonant. "All we ask is for a sturdy ship and some standard gear for our trip, and then we'll be…" His brown eyes shifted from Hiccup to his passenger, and they widened. Stunned, the man trailed off, staring at the raven haired maiden sitting behind the young chief. Could it be? He didn't know what to think. His tone became uncertain. "...Beata? Beata, is that you?"

Hearing her name from those lips made the Valkyrie go rigid. Her breath caught in her chest as she recognized the similar timbre from her previous chief. Almost in a daze, Beata dismounted Toothless, who watched her carefully as she stepped closer to the two strangers. Hiccup wanted to follow her lead, but he knew that doing so now would show a lack of authority, so he chose to stay with his dragon. Still, his green eyes followed her movements while eyeing the unexpected guests.

She slowed to a stop beside Valka, who was monitoring her reaction to the strangers. Beata couldn't see it at first, but she tried to look past the scar and adjusted her memories of her old home accordingly. Her azure eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock. She took a wary step back, staring at the brown haired viking. Was it him? "Gunnar?" she asked, her voice rough with hesitation and doubt.

"Beata!" The man rushed forward, surprisingly nimble for his size, and scooped the tall maiden in his large burly arms. "Odin be praised, it is you!" he cried as her world spun. She was squeezed against his golden brown tunic in a massive bear hug, making her gasp for air. A sudden snarl filled the air, and Beata felt her foster brother tense. She looked over her shoulder the best she could and saw Toothless crouched low, teeth bared and eyes almost complete slits.

Hiccup looked to his dragon momentarily before raising his hand toward Gunnar. "Sorry to interrupt this reunion, but could you put Beata down? We have things to discuss, and Toothless here doesn't appreciate strangers being so chummy with his friends."

His words made Gunnar's temper flare. He couldn't believe that he was being ordered by someone much younger and smaller than him. Only because he was on that dragon, that beast, was he able to make such demands. Before he could speak his mind, he noticed a look from his partner, a small shake of the head. The viking glanced at Berk's chief and his pet once more before hearing his sister's voice.

"Gunnar, please let me stand. He's only looking out for me."

The man looked to the young woman in his arms, and her eyes were calm and collected. She showed no fear whatsoever about the dragon. If anything, there was concern in her gaze, aimed at him. He hated being coddled over, especially by his little sister. Gunnar kept rein of his anger and set the maiden on her feet. "So," he said, evening out his tone to a more businesslike manner while he straightened his tunic, "I see that you've made friends, sister." He made a point of ignoring the dragon by focusing on the maiden before her with a smile.

"Yes, I have." Not knowing what else to say, she looked to Hiccup and then back at her brother. It was strange to see him like this, especially when he was beaming at her like she was the best thing to happen in his life. Falling back on formality, she stepped to the side, toward Valka, and said, "I take it that you will be busy discussing terms with my chief, so I will leave you to it. We can always talk later." She tried a smile, happy to see her brother alive and reasonably well after over five years. The expression did not stay, though. Memories of the cold stares and hurtful words of Stein reached her. The ones that Gunnar had spat at her the day she left stung terribly, and she quickly averted her gaze from his grin and dashed off before he could call her back.

Valka watched the pain and confusion pass through Beata's face. It hurt her to see it, so when the maiden ran off, she was ready to follow her. Still, she knew that the young woman would want to be alone, if for a short while. Her rich green eyes looked to Gunnar, who stared after Beata with an abruptly blank expression on his face. He was difficult to read, and his viking companion - Marcus he had called himself - was just as unreadable. The sudden joy that had been on the brother's face was gone, and it unsettled Valka. She found her son's eyes, and he nodded, indicating that he could handle things. The chief looked to Gunnar and dismounted his dragon at last.

"All right, Gunnar," he said. "You and your friend can follow me to the Great Hall, and we will discuss the problem of your lost ship." When he saw the two men nod, Hiccup looked to his best friend and held up his hand slightly. "Toothless, stay with Valka. We'll be out of the hall in half an hour."

"Of course," his mother said as the Night Fury nodded. The woman and drake walked away toward the forest where Beata had retreated, leaving Gunnar and Marcus with their chief, surprised at how the skinny youth could command both viking and dragon with such ease. When Hiccup began walking through the village ways, the unexpected guests followed, warily eyeing the dragons that stood on the rooftops of nearly every house, watching them.

"Quite the populace ya have here," Gunnar said nonchalantly. His comment caused the chief to glance up at the multiple sentinels. He had expected the young viking to shake or hesitate upon seeing them, but Hiccup simply nodded to the dragons and kept walking.

"Yep," he replied, "Don't mind them, they're just curious."

"Probably counting the benefits of eating us," muttered Marcus. He spoke low and addressed Gunnar only. "Are you sure this is safe, sir?"

"We'll be fine. Just let me do the talking." The two vikings followed Berk's chief to the large double doors in the mountainside. A man and young woman were waiting by the door when they arrived. Hiccup stopped in front of them and greeted both. He turned around for a moment and introduced the blonde beauty as his bride-to-be, Astrid. Gunnar took a moment to appreciate the warrior's gleam in the Valkyrie's eyes before nodding to her. She inclined her head to him and Marcus before turning to the man with her. He opened the doors for the four, allowing Hiccup and Astrid to enter first. Gunnar paid the man no mind, and Marcus followed his lead. The inside of the Great hall was spacious and grand, all reinforced with stone and lit with a large number of torches and chandeliers. Several vikings were inside the room, but they cleared out for their leader and his guests. Hiccup sat on one side of a long table, waited for his fiance to stand to his right and gestured for the two men to sit across from him. Only the taller viking sat down while his companion remained standing at his right hand, mimicking Astrid.

"Alright," the chief said, sitting straight and focusing his hazel green eyes on the scarred viking. "Before we continue on the business at hand, I need to know who you both are. If Beata's reaction is any indicator, you are both from Stein."

The man nodded. "Aye. I am Gunnar Eld the Great, chief of Stein. This here is my escort, Marcus." The blonde viking nodded but kept silent in deference to his leader. Astrid's eyes widened briefly at the title; Hiccup nodded in acceptance and continued his questioning, filing the information away for later.

"Valka said that your ship was destroyed by the rocks on the west side of the island, correct?"

"That's right," Gunnar replied. "We've been sailing for months and got caught in a terrible gale and rain. We couldn't keep the ship from crashing intuh the island."

He dipped his head again, remembering the sound of the rain on his roof and winds rattling the house several nights before. The seas did get rough during such storms, especially in winter. Sleet was completely possible, and those conditions were difficult to work in on a ship in the dark. The crash would have put them a day or so away from their patrol pattern by foot. It all made sense. "Is it just you and Marcus?"

"Now, yes. There was an initial party of six, but during the storm and the accident the rest of the men were lost." Gunnar shook his head sadly. "They were brave souls, trusting me tuh get this far."

"And what exactly is your reason to travel so far from Stein?" Remembering how long it took Beata to walk and fly to Berk, hearing that her brother took months to sail was interesting. Granted, she was fifteen or so when she took sail alone, so her mishap could've been just one from inexperience. No matter the case, Hiccup waited for Gunnar's response. Seeing the gaze that was fixed upon him, the chief of Stein made his hands interlock fingers, rested his chin on them and answered in one word.

"Beata."

Auburn brows furrowed; blue eyes narrowed. "Your foster sister, the one who you and your village cast out nearly six years ago?"

The viking scowled. He didn't expect Beata to have been so open about her childhood. Remembering the purpose of his mission, he had the grace to look ashamed. "I admit that we did mistreat her, but we fully realize how wrong we were. I left Stein to search for her, apologize, and bring her home. Granted, it's been years since she left, but I always knew that she would survive on her own and become a fine warrior."

"Why did it take your people several years to realize your mistake? Why not find your sister immediately after she left?"

"The people, including myself, were arrogant. We didn't think we needed her, and we were wrong." Gunnar's brown eyes hardened. "She was our best hunter and killer. Since she left, dragons have been raiding our village, and I know that her aim is still as true as ever. We need her back in Stein, so I have come to bring her back home and liberate our people."

"And what if Beata doesn't want to go back with you?" Hiccup did not like the words that his guest was saying. The tone was too dark, too tainted. He knew that Beata was a skilled shot, but thinking of her using her skills to slay dragons made him sick. Astrid felt the same, but she kept her expression blank as she waited for the visiting chief's reply.

The question made Gunnar bristle in challenge. "Beata was born and raised in Stein. She would not abandon her home when it needs her. Besides, she is my sister, daughter tuh Einar Eld the Brave, so she has her duty tuh her people. She has nothing tuh do with your village."

"If you are her brother, then you should know about her passion for dragons. She wouldn't be able to kill them. She wants peace, and here she is happy. Don't you want that for her?"

"You have no right tuh speak of my family and village matters. I came here for Beata, and if she does not wish tuh go, then I will hear it from her. Either way, I will need a ship and supplies tuh be able tuh make it back tuh Stein. I'd prefer tuh leave before the next storm, so do I have your help or not?" Gunnar had tried to be civil, but the audacity that the young chief had to lecture him about his choices angered him to no end. His last question came in a low growl, which caused Astrid's eyes to narrow dangerously. Hiccup, however, did not seem phased.

"I will speak to the shipbuilders and see if we can spare a vessel. It will take at least three days to secure the ship and gather supplies for a several-month journey, so please be patient and civil while you are here as my guests."

Gunnar nodded, back to a formal façade. "And may I ask where we are to stay in that time?"

"I will have you stay with Eret for the time being. His home will be large enough for the three of you. I will send someone for him at once." With his word, Astrid went to the door and opened it to tell the person outside to fetch the ex-trapper. She returned to her fiance's side and watched as he and Gunnar stood.

"What will I be paying you for this service?" the Stein chief asked with a smile that was not completely friendly.

"Depending on what happens, I'm willing to consider it a favor for Beata." The two men shook arms, concluding their business. Gunnar and Marcus were then sent to follow the guard at the door to where Eret was reported to be. Hiccup watched the two men leave, his shoulders tense. Once they were out of his sight, a gentle hand rested on his left shoulder, and the young man relaxed the slightest.

"I don't trust them," Astrid said quietly. "That's the man who made the people of Stein believe that Beata was threat and chase her away. His reason to bring her back doesn't sound like something she'd agree to, either."

"I know, but over five years could change someone." He heard the doubt in his voice, but it was possible. "He's right, though: I can't decide for Beata. She's the one who has to choose whether or not she wants to go back." Remembering the confusion in her eyes when she named the stranger and the abruptness in which she left had him worried. His girlfriend saw the concern in his eyes and took his chin to make him focus on her. She hated seeing him stressing so much. It was her job to make sure he didn't drive himself mad with worries, so she tried to reassure him.

"Beata is capable of handling her past, I'm sure." She then smiled and said, "And if she needs help, we'll be there, right?"

Hiccup smiled back and nodded. "That's right." He took the hand holding his chin and lowered it so he could bend down to kiss the blonde's forehead. "Thanks for standing with me, Astrid."

"Of course, Hiccup. Your mother found me and told me to meet you at the Hall. She should be back at the dragon care station. Perhaps Beata is there, too."

"Maybe. Let's go and see if she's okay." His fiance smiled in agreement and began walking down the hill, holding hands with her love and walking by his side.

* * *

Beata kept running through the forest, bounding over brush and rocks, ducking under low branches and fallen trees. As she sped through the evergreens, her mind raced as she tried to figure out why her brother and her past had to show up right when she felt so at peace with her new home. What was he doing so far from Stein? Why did he end up crashing here in Berk? Why did Gunnar have to act so happy to see her?

Deep down, she was overjoyed that her older brother was glad to find her alive and well, but the rest of her was still hurting from what he had said back then, how he had treated her. Sure, he had had his own way of kindness to her, but none of that was protecting her from the cruel taunts and curses the villagers gave her. He was always rough on her, whether because she was an outcast or a girl, she didn't know. Remembering the fear of his face that fateful day opened an old wound on her heart, and she staggered to a halt, leaning against a pine tree for support. Finally stopped, her legs buckled and deposited her on the cold grass, wet from the morning frost that lingered in the shade. Beata pressed her back against the tree, hugged her knees and rested her forehead on her legs, trying to calm her mind in the darkness provided by the loosened strands of raven hair.

Gunnar's current image flashed before her eyes, and she noted the burn on his face. Where did he get it from? Flame Runner had told her years ago that the dragons were at war with Stein, so could that scar have been from a dragon? The idea of her family being attacked by dragons, all the bloodshed that would come from the battle made her stomach churn. Knowing the intelligence and sympathy of the dragons, the maiden felt sick at the thought of having to kill them, to hear their cries for mercy and help as her village slaughtered them all, leaving their babies alone and bent on revenge. How many people would need to die for the bloodthirst to be sated? How many dragons? It was a vicious cycle of hatred, and Beata wanted it to stop.

The sound of whistling wings caught her attention, and she looked up to see Toothless descending into the cover of trees, a rider on his back. Upon landing, Valka dismounted from the drake, and the Night Fury bounded over to the maiden, stopping several meters away to peer at her with concerned green eyes. He crooned worriedly and gently nudged his friend's knees. Beata smiled through her confusion and released her legs to place her hands on either side of the drake's head. "Hey, bud," she greeted in a tired voice. She bowed her head, letting her forehead touch the dragon's. Toothless purred softly as Valka took a seat beside the dragon-child. She waited silently while Beata stroked the drake's nose, making sure that she had the chance to be soothed. The young woman soon looked at her mentor and asked, "How did ya find me?"

"Flying has its advantages," Valka replied. She petted Toothless's head and added, "And it helps when the dragon in question is just as worried as the rider. How are you feeling, Beata?"

The Valkyrie bit her lip for a moment, trying to sort out her emotions. "Confused, mostly. And afraid."

"Why afraid?"

"Gunnar's scar. It was a burn from something, and my old friend, Flame Runner, told me when we last met that Stein was attacking the dragon's nest there. He also told me that Gunnar was one of the leading fighters against the dragons, so I don't know why he would be so far from home. Is he looking for a way tuh end the war? If so, how? He's not the most peaceful man, at least from my childhood he wasn't. I think of what could be happening to my village, and the possibilities scare me."

Toothless crooned, _"There is a way to stop the fighting, you know that. You see it around you right now."_

"I know that, bud," she said, and Valka looked to the dragon. "But Gunnar doesn't trust dragons. He has been attacked by a Deadly Nadder once already, and I have a feeling that if that burn was from a dragon, then he will be a difficult mind tuh change."

"Perhaps if you spoke to him about it, you can convince him?" she suggested. "He may listen to ya."

"Maybe...Still, I don't feel right, seeing him here. I was supposed to start a new life, and now he's back. I'm still happy tuh see him well, but seeing him happy tuh see me was quite surprising."

The drake growled. _"If you do not wish him to touch you, I will keep him from doing so."_

"I'm sure you would, Toothless, but if anyone is going to defend me like that, it'd be Archer first. If Gunnar wants tuh talk tuh me, he'll have tuh realize who I am. He always knew that I was fascinated with dragons, and having Archer close by will remind him of where I belong."

"And you're sure that you wish to speak to him? After what he and the village did tuh ya?" Valka frowned concernedly. She didn't want the maiden to worry too much, but she was certain Gunnar would want to talk to her, especially after Beata had ran out on him.

"It's been at least five years since I've seen my family in Stein. I want tuh know how they are, and Gunnar will tell me, I'm sure. If I know what's going on there, I will be able tuh move on." Beata nodded, more for her own benefit than her friends'. "I need tuh talk tuh him. How long would it take for Hiccup tuh prepare a ship and supplies for a voyage north?"

"A few days. You can take your time in talking to your brother. There's no rush, okay?" When her apprentice nodded, she stroked the girl's hair and smiled. "Remember that you have friends here, Beata. If you want to talk to someone, there are three people and five dragons that you can ask for help."

The maiden smiled at the fact and said, "Thanks, Valka, Toothless." Her mentor nodded, and the Night Fury gave his gummy grin. At the drake's suggestion, Valka and Beata climbed onto his saddle and took off for the village. During the flight, the dragon-child felt herself warmed by the knowledge that she had such kind friends to look out for her.


	12. Come Home

**Hello all!**

**Sorry I'm posting so late! I've been caught up in midterms and projects, so I haven't been left with enough time to get ideas and write them down. This is the point where I have to make fresh scenes and get the plot to go in a plausible direction (Before this chapter, I had some form of draft ready to edit and refine). If I aim to have chapters as long as I normally do, it might take more time to get it to the quality I think that you wonderful readers deserve. So ****PLEASE bear with me! I want to give chapters as soon as I can, but I think it's unfair to give half-baked ideas and plot. I'll be working on this story as much as I can, so if you can hold on that'd be great!**

**Thanks again for all the favorites and following _A New Hope_. Also big thanks for those who have added me to their favorites and are following me. I'll try to make you proud! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank a friend of mine, who has kindly made the art to be used as the COVER of this story! Yay! Her name is fenori, and she is a wonderful artist. You guys can check her out on tumblr if you'd like (look for" lightofdoodles"). Hopefully the art helps make up for my absence ^^"**

**Now for the _real_ reason you're here: CHAPTER 12! Enjoy, and let me know what you all think!**

**'Til next time, my amazing readers! :D**

**~RedWolf210**

* * *

Chapter 12: Come Home

Gunnar awoke to the sound of knocking at the door. As the sound repeated itself, the guest realized that it was the knock that Beata had liked to use when she was told to summon him and Birger for something. No one had liked to let her into their home, and no one had liked to see her, so the dragon-child had invented the rhythm to alert her siblings what was going on if they were at someone else's cabin.

The knock came again, breaking Gunnar from his nostalgia and making him get out of bed. He rubbed the sleep from his eye and went to the door. It was normally the host's job to answer, but this was a special call. The Stein chief opened the door and peered out at the predawn to see Beata standing just before the doorway. She smiled at him, her blue eyes bright despite the darkness.

"Mornin'," she greeted. Her tone was light, and Gunnar found it much different from when she spoke to him the day before. There was no caution, no tension. It was like she was trying to be who she was before she left their home. She was the energetic sister once more, not the flustered and confused woman he had met the previous afternoon.

He eyed her for a moment. "Mornin'..." His brown gaze took in her quiver and bow, and he asked, "Off hunting, sister?"

"Yes, and I need spare hands. Interested?"

The fact that she was inviting him to a hunting party made him mildly confused, but mostly suspicious. "I thought that Chief Hiccup didn't trust me with you?"

Beata frowned at him. "You're my brother, so I have the say on whether you can be trusted. Besides," she smiled, "I'm sure that if you catch something good, then you will gain some grace with the Berkians."

"I don't need your charity, Beata." The cold air was getting to his skin, and he stepped back to close the door. "You're a fine hunter, you don't need me." He swung the heavy slab of wood back to its original position, but a solid thump sounded as Beata thrust her arm in the way, halting the door in the midst of its arc with her forearm. With more strength than Gunnar had remembered she possessed, the maiden shoved the door open.

"It's not for your sake I'm inviting you, Gunnar." Her eyes were sharp like jagged ice. "I need tuh talk tuh you, and I don't want tuh do it here. I will wait out here while you get ready. Tell Marcus that he needs tuh stay so he can tell Eret where you went. If they're worried by then, Skullcrusher can find us."

Beata's voice was calm, decisive. She was giving orders, and she expected them to be followed. It bothered Gunnar, but he knew the look in her eyes and the warning they held. He'd rather not challenge her, especially when he wanted her on his side. Glowering at her, he nodded. The Valkyrie gave a brief smile before stepping back from the doorway and turning away. Gunnar shut the door and turned back to his makeshift cot. He threw on his tunic and fur vest, collecting his knives and sword in between.

"Can ya trust her?" murmured Marcus from his cot. He had heard the conversation, and he didn't like the implications. "It could be a trap."

"And you don't think I can handle it?" challenged the chief. When silence met his ears, he said, "She's a curious creature. I'm sure this is so she can figure things out her way. If we want her tuh trust us, we need tuh show her we can do the same."

Hazel eyes flickered to the door. "I still don't like it. We have a schedule to keep, so we can't risk hunting injuries."

"Lighten up, Marcus. I took care of myself just fine without a bodyguard. I can hunt without crippling myself. Besides," Gunnar fixed his comrade with a serious gaze, "I need ya tuh keep tabs on Eret and his chief. It's obvious they don't trust us, so let's not waste this chance tuh gain Beata's favor."

"Very well," the blonde huffed. He pulled the blanket over his head. "Happy hunting."

* * *

Beata waited outside, her sigh condensing into a cloud in the cold morning air. Her plan was already off to a bad start. She hadn't wanted to use force to get her older brother to come with her, but she had had no choice. She had to know his intentions, and what better way to get those issues out of the way than in the middle of nowhere, just the two of them? She didn't want Marcus to shape Gunnar's responses, and she didn't want Hiccup or Valka to do the same to hers. Alone, she and her brother could sort out everything between them, no trouble.

But at the same time, Beata wanted to show Gunnar who she was. She wanted to make it clear that she was a Berkian, that she still loved dragons. Sure, she was a warrior, but she had a more considerate nature that had been hidden by all the scorn that her previous village gave her. It was important to Beata for Gunnar to know this, and she had planned this to be the first step. Her blue eyes glanced to the trees nearby, wondering if the second part to this plan was still a smart idea…

The sound of the front door to Eret's house opening and closing brought Beata's attention back to the present. She nodded to Gunnar as he approached her. "So, sister," he said, "Where are we headed?"

"Tuh a place where we can get some deer, maybe even a boar." She smiled and turned toward the densest part of the forest. Behind her, Gunnar's footsteps crunched the light layer of snow that would melt later in the day. She kept walking.

"Don't we need a third person tuh handle something like that? Or is the game here that much smaller?"

The maiden laughed. "They're possibly a bit bigger. How else can ya feed so many dragons?"

"Then we would need a third member, right?"

The suspicion in his voice made Beata smile. Looks like he was going to keep asking until she answered. She paused in their walk, away from the view of Eret's house, which had been closer to the edge of the village. Turning to face her brother, Beata gave him a serious look, silently warning him to not panic.

"We do have a third member, but she will only join us if you're comfortable about it."

Gunnar scowled. "And who is that?" he asked. He never thought that she would include someone else if she wished to talk to him alone. His expression clearly conveyed that message, so the maiden explained herself.

"I wanted us tuh talk as siblings, with no lies or misunderstandings placed by other people. Because I want tuh be honest, I want tuh introduce you to my friend, Archer. She's close by, but I need tuh know that you won't hurt her when she shows herself." Blue eyes pleaded with Gunnar. "Can ya promise me that?" A sinking feeling grew in the viking's stomach. He had a guess as to what Archer was, and it made his muscles tense. Still, he had to speak. He needed Beata to trust him.

Slowly, he nodded. "Okay, I want tuh meet her."

Beata hesitated a moment, making sure that her brother wasn't going to change his mind. Finding that he was standing firm, she looked to the surrounding trees and whistled three notes, similar to the bird call she used while in Stein. The brush to their left rustled, and Gunnar watched with wide eyes as a Deadly Nadder approached the two vikings.

Beata stood between her foster brother and her dragon, slightly off to the side so that she could assess Gunnar's reaction. The man seemed to have blanched the slightest, but he kept his ground. His hand twitched uncertainly to the hilt of his sword, and she hissed a warning at him. "She won't do anything unless you threaten her first," Beata told him. The chief's hand was stayed, and the maiden addressed her companion. "Archer, I'm right here, girl."

The dragonet's amber eyes left Gunnar to look at her rider. Archer then gave a happy squawk and trotted over to Beata, nudging the dragon-born with a pleased purr. Beata smiled and stroked the Nadder's nose. "Good girl," she praised.

Gunnar stared at the dragoness. It was smaller than a normal Nadder, which would have its head raised taller than his. Seeing that it only matched height with Beata's shoulders, he guessed it was a young fledgling of sorts. He had never seen a juvenile dragon before, and a form of curiosity came over him. Still, his approach was wary. He still didn't trust the creature, so he paused several meters away, more on Beata's side. "So...Archer is your pet?" he asked.

"Of sorts," Beata replied hesitantly. "I consider her my best friend. I help her, and she helps me. I don't rule her or anything like that." Gunnar noticed a smile grace his sister's lips, one of the most genuine and amused smiles he had ever seen on her. "If anything, Archer thinks of me as hers to care for." The maiden scratched the Nadder's chin as she said so. "Isn't that right, my dear?"

Archer purred and nudged her rider again. The dragonet liked how Beata had introduced her. Both of them had wanted to make it clear that they were a team, so having this opportunity was pleasing for Archer. Her golden gaze went back to the burly, scarred viking. She still didn't trust that man, but if Beata was giving him a chance, she would, too. With that, the reptile was silent as she regarded the foreign chief.

Gunnar didn't like how it was staring at him, so he kept his focus on Beata. She looked happy with the dragon, and that made his stomach turn in disgust. What had happened to the warrior that he had grown up with in Stein? What became of the girl who would toss him and Birger aside whenever they quarreled without breaking a sweat? Where was the obedient child who followed every word of the chief as if it was all she had lived for? Could five years really do that much damage to her character?

Beata looked to her brother and noticed that he was still tense, and there were questions in his eyes. The maiden straightened herself and faced Gunnar. "Are you still willing tuh hunt with us? I wanted tuh show you what I've gained being here, and then you can tell me what has happened back home." She tilted her head as she used to when they were kids, eyes intent. "What do ya say, brother?"

The chief of Stein watched her for a moment, trying to figure out if there was more to the question. After a minute, Gunnar nodded. "Sounds fair. Looks like I won't be carrying the kill as usual?"

"Probably." The maiden smiled before she turned for the forest trail. "Come, let's find some good prey." Beata started jogging up the hill, Archer following close behind. Gunnar brought up the rear, and he noticed the way that the two creatures before him matched pace so seamlessly. Beata leapt over roots and rocks with grace, and the Nadder did the same. It didn't seem right to Gunnar, but it was obvious that the gait he had seen with his sister all his childhood was very much the step of a predator, of something more powerful than humans would be. His stomach turned again, but he ignored it as he ran, putting it off as his lack of breakfast.

Soon they found a fresh trail in the frost and followed it. As they tracked their quarry, Gunnar watched how Beata and her dragon simply knew what the other was going to do and acted in concert. Whenever Archer paused, Beata would wait and let the dragoness take up the trail neither the chief nor the maiden could see. They continued this for about half an hour before they found the stag who made the trail. Archer lingered back to keep the ungulate from bolting at her scent while the two vikings went closer. Beata looked to Gunnar, who nodded, letting her handle the kill. The maiden took her bow and found a clear path for her arrow to take. She positioned herself carefully in the shadows of the trees and nocked her arrow. Gunnar watched as she pulled the bow taut, took a calm breath, held it, and released the projectile on the exhale. The stag started, but it only took two steps before sinking to the ground.

"Still got it," Gunnar said approvingly. He noticed Beata beam at him, and as they walked to the kill, he noted the bow. "Did you make that?" he asked, surprised at the amount of detail it had.

The Valkyrie looked to the weapon in her hand. "This? No, it was a gift from the Berkians. Hiccup made it for me when he found out that my bow was missing from my fall."

"Fall?" the man frowned. "What happened tuh you?"

"Well..." Beata arrived at the stag and yanked the arrow from its side. "I arrived on Berk a while back and got snagged in a trapper's net. I escaped and ended up falling off a cliff, blacked out, and next thing I knew I was in the chief's house recovering from my injuries."

Brown eyes stared at her as the maiden wiped the blood off the arrowhead. "They just let you join their tribe, just like that?" He was baffled. No viking tribe should be that accepting! Especially if there were enemies that would have spies. And then they give her gifts, one that the chief himself makes? What was that brat thinking? He watched as Beata examined her arrow, making sure the head wasn't chipped and the feathers weren't askew.

"Toothless was the one who brought Hiccup tuh me that night. He trusted me, so the chief agreed." Beata smiled at the bow and its Night Fury designs. "They let me heal and heard my story, so they thought that I could be trusted. When I fought the trappers a second time, the whole village appreciated it and gladly let me intuh their tribe when I asked." She then jerked her head to the approaching Nadder. "And that's when I got tuh select Archer as my companion."

Gunnar looked to the purple dragon as she halted next to Beata. "How can you trust dragons? They've attacked us before."

"That Nadder was hunting for its queen," his sister said decisively, replacing her arrow in her quiver. "It only threatened us tuh scare us away from the kill, and it only attacked when you did first." The maiden's blue eyes held his gaze. "Dragons are not all bad. Some can be temperamental, sure, but most have a sense of courtesy. Not all people are bad, but there are some who are cruel, like those trappers. You need tuh try and understand the dragons tuh find a peaceful solution."

"We don't have that chance in Stein, Beata." His voice was harsh, and he shook his head vigorously. "There is no room for peace in Stein. The dragons have been raiding our livestock, and they have been stealing kills from the hunters in the forest. They don't understand us, and we don't understand them; it's impossible to work things out." Gunnar decided to go for his plea as his sister set down her bow and was getting ready to lift the stag onto the dragon.

"Beata, I need ya tuh come home."

The young woman went rigid where she knelt on the grass. Her gaze went from him to the stag, her head was bowed. "I can't," she said. She made no move toward the deer, but she didn't look at Gunnar, either.

"Why? Your homeland is under attack, and you're our best archer. We need you there tuh fight with us."

"I will _not_ kill dragons." Her voice was harder this time, and she looked to the chief. "I will _not_ add tuh the pile of bodies, Gunnar. This hatred between dragons and vikings will _not_ stop if we keep _fighting_ them."

"So you just want our family tuh die, then?" Gunnar was furious. He had expected some excuse to stay, but this pacifism was unlike her. "You said you wanted tuh know what has happened back home? Well, this is what has been going on: dragons have been attacking us and killing us; Mother is sick; Birger is at wit's end as how tuh end this war, much like me; the people are afraid and angry, and what's worse..."

Beata looked at him when he paused. There was a fire in his eyes, a bitterness twisting his lips. It warped the scar on his face. After what seemed to be a great effort, Gunnar finished his report.

"Father is dead, Beata. A dragon killed him."

The maiden blinked at the news, and Archer tilted her head. The Nadder then noticed her rider's shoulders sink and heard the dismay in her voice. "What?" she asked softly, her voice cracking the slightest. Beata shook her head and tried again. "What happened tuh him?"

"Dragons were trying to take the cows, so Father and the men were trying tuh drag the beasts down. Father went for the larger of the group, of course, and was hoisted intuh the air along with the cow. He harried the dragon he was clinging tuh, and when they were over the shoals, the demon shook Father loose and let him fall tuh his death."

"When?" Beata's heart was breaking all over again. The pain was evident in her voice, and it was making Archer uncomfortable. She had never seen the maiden so hurt, so sad. Not knowing what to do with herself, Archer's fidgeted, her wings shifting the slightest in her distress.

Gunnar looked away from the watery blue of Beata's eyes and replied, "Three years ago. Mother fell ill within a week of his death, and she hasn't recovered since." With a deep breath, the man pressed on. "With her out of commission, Stein needs you tuh help us. You're our best marksman, and you can teach the others how tuh-"

"How do ya expect me tuh go back?!" The sudden outburst from the hunched Valkyrie made both Gunnar and Archer jump. Slowly, Beata stood, the stag completely forgotten. Her eyes were angry, glistening with unshed tears. "Those people _hate_ me! They wanted me gone and were _celebrating_ when I left! The only people who cared for me in Stein are gone or no longer the same, and the only reason you want me back is tuh kill dragons! _Dragons_ were the only beings tuh _understand_ me! _They_ cared for me while I was wandering the world, _they_ were the ones who saved me, _they_ took me in when no other viking would!" Her gloved hands were in fists. "The _people_ who saw me while I traveled _avoided_ me. They _whispered_ behind my back, they _shooed_ me out of their inns after taking my money. I was glared at as much by them as I did when I was in Stein, and they didn't even _know_ of my strange past. Only in _Berk_ did the vikings treat me as an _equal_. They _smile_ when they see me, they _thank_ me for the food I bring, they _want_ tuh talk tuh me, _not_ curse me."

The growing frustration and rage in her voice startled Archer. She heard the pain and hurt in Beata's words, and she looked to Gunnar with a low hiss. He was distressing her rider, and it looked like he wasn't finished. The dragoness felt her tail spines rising, but then she was reminded of her hatching group's aggression displays. Seeing as humans didn't have such things to signal their anger, she figured that this was how they expressed their feelings. Seeing that Beata was still focused on Gunnar, the Nadder felt like her thoughts were right. Reluctantly, she decided to wait until Beata asked for her help, but she kept alert nonetheless.

Gunnar glared at the Valkyrie and tsked. "What about Birger?" he demanded. "What about me? We protected you from those idiots who tried to declare themselves better than you. We need you tuh come help us."

"They are not my people. They are only desperate for a savior. Once the problem is over, they'll hate me all over again." Her heat died a little as she continued. "I never knew you or Birger did such things, and I thank you for those times. Still, I _cannot_ kill dragons, and I _will not_ kill them. If that is all you came here for, then you should leave."

She went back to lifting the stag, and Gunnar was shocked. It took him a moment to stop gaping at her and snarl, "You are going tuh _refuse_ tuh help your _family_? You are going tuh _abandon_ the people that Father has worked _so_ hard tuh protect? You're going tuh _run away_ from your _duty_ tuh your homeland?" His words made her pause yet again. With a growl, Beata stood and faced her brother.

"Why should I help the people who wished me dead, Gunnar? Would they even accept the help I offer? They would just turn on me once the dragons are gone. If I refuse tuh kill the dragons, would they _still_ want me there? Answer that, brother!"

The viking glowered at Beata. "After what Father did for you, you're just going tuh turn your back on us? Don't you care?"

The words struck the Valkyrie. She glared at her foster sibling, a hot tear falling from her eye. "Yes, I do care. I am grieved about what has befallen Stein. Yes, I am saddened tuh know Father is dead. He was the best chief and father that a viking could ask for. He stood up for me, and it took me until the night I left to realize how much he had cared tuh raise me as his own." She then took a shaky breath and spoke more strongly. "I would help if I could, but if killing is all you want me tuh do, then I refuse. Tell mother and our brother that I am alive and well, that I'm happy here. As much as I want tuh see her and Birger again, I cannot face those people who despised my existence from the beginning. I won't stand for it."

She looked to the deer she had killed. "We'll need more than this for the village, but this stag is getting cold. If you could take this back tuh Berk, Gunnar, that'd be great. If you follow Archer's tracks, you can make your way tuh the boulder cluster that leans toward the village. You can handle that distance, can't you?"

It was obviously a dismissal, and Gunnar was irked that she thought she could be rid of him that easily. He made as if to argue, but the mantling purple and blue wings of the Deadly Nadder halted his tongue. Archer was shifting in her place behind Beata, seemingly stretching her legs and neck, but her amber eyes were on Gunnar the entire time, watching, daring him to offend her rider further.

The viking gritted his teeth for a moment before grunting an affirmative. Without ceremony, he picked up the stag, mindful of the antlers, and slung the kill over his wide shoulders. He turned away from Beata, who had turned toward Archer, and mumbled, "And Father said that you were the hope for the war's end. I didn't think you would disappoint him, sister." With that, he stalked off, leaving Beata alone with her dragon.

When she could no longer hear Gunnar's footsteps, Beata began to cry. All the anger and bitterness from her past had boiled to the surface, and now they were rushing out of her. Archer crooned softly and nudged her rider's shoulder consolingly. The maiden rested her hand on the dragonet's nose and bowed her head, letting the news of Stein's plight and Einar's death overtake her. She couldn't believe how that once peaceful place had fallen into such turmoil. She knew that Einar wouldn't have allowed it, but now that he was gone... It still didn't feel right to Beata. Knowing that he had also believed in her potential hurt her, especially when she knew that she couldn't do ask Gunnar asked. How could she help them if Stein didn't want a peaceful solution?

Eventually her tears dried, and Beata blinked the last of the moisture from her eyes to see Archer peering at her face. _"Are you okay now?"_ she asked.

"For now, dear one," the maiden hiccuped. She took a breath and steadied her voice. "We should try for another deer, maybe a medium boar. Then we can head back and make some meals."

The Nadder bobbed her head. _"I will lead. I thought I caught scent of a boar a few minutes back on the trail."_

"Very well. Lead on, Archer." Beata took up her bow and hastily wiped her eyes and nose with her tunic sleeve before jogging after her dragon. With every step she took, she felt more and more guilty of the words she had thrown at Gunnar. He only wanted what was best for his people. He was the chief now - she had learned it from Flame Runner and had it confirmed by Hiccup the day before - and that came with great responsibilities. He had Birger to help, but if her slightly older brother was unable to find a peaceful solution, then Stein had to be in dire straits.

They needed her help, but how could she help without her bow?

As she leapt over a fallen log, Beata decided to do things her way, no matter when Gunnar said. If he needed help, he was going to have to take whatever she offered. She wanted to make Einar proud, and she wanted to prove Elder Blomgren that it was right to keep her alive those twenty years ago.

* * *

"Are you sure that you want to talk to him?" asked Hiccup, concern obvious in his voice. He watched Beata tie on her cloak and a pair of gloves to protect them from both the chilling cold of the steadily approaching winter and the extravagant heat from the fresh pot of rabbit stew. The maiden accepted the latter object from Valka as the chief prodded, "Didn't you have an argument with him this morning?"

Beata glanced to the viking and admitted, "Yes, but that was us being frustrated and acting on emotions. I still don't want tuh stay in Stein, but if they need my help, I need tuh tell them how I can help. It won't be with killing, and they need tuh know that." She then gave a guilty smile and added, "And Gunnar is still family, so I need tuh apologize for not getting my point across in a better way. I know he's only trying his best, but he doesn't know how tuh be peaceful. I have tuh show him how."

"_Perhaps it's safer to have him here,"_ Toothless suggested, his green eyes worried. Beata had been pacing and tense the entire day, trying to prepare her speech to her older brother, the one who had cast her out of her old home.

His rider was also of like mind. "Maybe he can talk to you here. Being invited to the chief's house is an honor, and I'm sure he'd behave himself then."

Beata smiled at the chief and the drake, touched by their efforts. Her tone, however, was as firm as steel. "I want Gunnar tuh feel at ease. If I come tuh Eret's home as a guest, then both of us will be in a neutral zone. The food I'm bringing will also lighten the mood of the visit." She then focused her gaze on the Night Fury. "If you're worried about my safety, remember that Eret will be there. It's his home I'm visitng, after all."

"It's true," Valka said, though she, too, was worried. "Does it have tuh be tonight, Beata? You've been working all day, and apparently Gunnar wasn't in a good mood when he came back here this afternoon. Now might be a bad time if he's still sore."

The raven haired maiden shook her head. "I should go now. He may only get more sore if I don't speak tuh him. I can't run from an argument, which is what I did earlier. I need tuh make up for that." She smiled at her friends. "I'll be fine, I promise."

"Is Archer going with you?" Hiccup asked, partly hopeful and the other concerned. He was aware that Archer was there that morning for the hunting trip, but if her dragon was there, Beata could be at ease.

"She insists on going," the Valkyrie laughed, "but she'll need tuh be outside. I still want Gunnar comfortable, and he isn't used tuh Archer yet. Besides, Marcus is there, so I don't want tuh panic him." Beata leaned against the tall oak door and raised an eyebrow. "Can I go now? Is everyone satisfied? I'll be gone for an hour and a half at most. After that, you and Toothless can come get me, Hiccup."

This seemed to appease all involved, and they wished her luck. Toothless helped Beata with the door and looked at Archer as the stood in the doorway. The Nadder looked to the Night Fury and bobbed her head. _"I'll keep an ear out. If there is trouble, I will call."_

"But don't go breaking down houses, both of you," Beata warned half-jokingly. "It is Eret's house, remember that."

Toothless sneezed. _"I wouldn't set his house on fire. I'd just jump on the roof to scare them into cover so you can escape."_

"Of course." She smiled at the drake and nodded to her companion. "Let's go, Archer." The dragonet squawked and trailed after her rider. Toothless watched the two leave, rumbling uncertainly before being called back into the house.

The sun was setting as Beata walked through the village. She nodded to the vikings who greeted her in passing, which Archer mimicked as well. Eventually the two Berkians arrived at Eret's house, a modest wooden home with the colors similar to Skullcrusher's scales painted onto the roof's beams and door frame. The maiden nestled the pot of stew into the crook of her left arm before knocking on the door with her right. Her Nadder stood several meters away to not startle the Stein vikings. As proper, Eret answered the door, and he smiled warmly at the sight of the young woman.

"Ah, Beata," he greeted with a light voice. "Come tuh visit, did ya?"

"Yes, and I brought some food for your troubles." She raised the lidded pot and gave him a hopeful look, eyes bright. "May I come in?"

"Of course." The ex-trapper stepped aside and allowed the maiden to enter the house. He looked to Archer, who positioned herself to the side of the doorway and settled on the cool ground in a crouched position. Seeing that she was going to remain there, Eret nodded to himself and closed the door.

Meanwhile, Beata stood in the main room, gazing at the modest furnishings. Gunnar and Marcus were sitting at the table, apparently having been in conversation before she came. Sets of brown and hazel eyes peered at her; Beata only focused on her brother's gaze. There was some anger still flickering in his eyes, but she was also still sore about their earlier talk. Now wasn't the time or place for that, though.

Beata tried a smile and lifted the pot in her gloved hands. "I came in peace," she said. "Hopefully the three of you are hungry? I made extras."

"Well I sure am!" laughed Eret from behind the maiden. "Was about to whip somethin' up, too. Saved me some time there, ya did."

The Valkyrie smiled at her friend and followed him to the table. As she set the stew on the table, she gave Gunnar a playful smirk. "Guess what I got?" she dared. Her brother eyed the lidded pot skeptically, but he sniffed the air when Beata opened the lid to let some steam out without revealing the dish. A bemused smile came across his face.

"Tell me ya intended tuh catch rabbit for the stew," he said, almost exasperated. "Otherwise you seem tuh have lost your touch." He turned his shoulder away as Beata gave him a half-hearted smack, quick and nearly merciless.

"Oh, shut it!" she chuckled. "I'm not helpless without you hunting with me. I got a boar, too, but we've decided tuh salt that meat for the winter stock. Besides, rabbit isn't so easy tuh snag, especially in this weather." The rodents had begun to change their coat, was it certainly was a trial to hunt one down and kill it without marring the meat. Clearly it took diligence and effort to catch enough for a stew. It was Beata's way of apology, and she was sure that Gunnar understood. The teasing response was enough to let her believe the message was received.

Eret had left to get plates and set them on the table. He handed Beata a large spoon, which she used to serve everyone present at the table. The group began to eat, giving nods of approval at the meal. Gunnar tasted much of home in the stew, with a few changes in spices. When he asked about it, Beata mentioned that she had been experimenting with the herbs and spices that were on Berk. This let her go on a tangent about how the chief's mother had taken her in as her student and has been teaching her about the plants and their many uses. As she spoke of Valka and Hiccup, Gunnar noted the fondness in her voice and her eyes. She was really attached to these people, and she was apparently an important person in this village, too.

That was going to make it difficult to convince her to return with him, but Gunnar knew that the rest of the plan would work nicely if managed to get her on his side.

Seeing that there were leftovers, Beata looked to Eret and asked, "Do ya think that you could bring Archer some of this stew, Eret? I feel bad for having her outside by herself, and I'm sure that she would appreciate having a treat for being so well-behaved."

"My pleasure," the ex-trapper replied with a smile. He took up the pot and nodded to his guests. "I'll just be outside for a bit to make sure Archer is comfortable. If any of you need anythin', just holler outside."

"Thank you, Eret," Beata said as she beamed at him. Gunnar and Marcus nodded in thanks, too, and waited for the other viking to leave the house. When the door sounded shut, Gunnar looked to the raven-haired maiden.

"So, I take it that you've been thinking about my request?" he asked, indicating the cleaned plates.

Beata nodded, countering with another question. "And I take it that you've accepted my apology and are willing tuh listen tuh my answer?" She also looked to the empty plates and raised an eyebrow at him. Both her older brother and his friend looked complacent enough. Talking to vikings when they were full from a meal was normally the best time to present arguments and requests with minimal damage to persons and furniture. Given that they were in someone else's home, Beata found it proper and reasonable to provide the food that would calm down any hostile moods and intentions.

Gunnar gave a nod of his head. "Speak," he said with a small smile. His response almost had the Valkyrie sigh in relief. She straightened in her seat before speaking.

"I am concerned for Stein, and I would love tuh help you." She then added, "But I am _not_ going tuh be killing any dragons. The deaths of vikings and dragons are what started this whole mess, so keeping tuh that will only make things worse. I know that vikings like tuh fight tuh settle their disputes, and there are many cases where dragons are feared and marked for death. I think it's ridiculous. Honestly, the dragons can be more afraid of us than we are of them. Do you see them attack us in broad daylight? Do they raid when the sun is out?" When she saw Gunnar scowl, Beata nodded. "I thought as much. They don't want tuh have confrontation, but we bring it tuh them when they threaten our livestock."

"Which is what is happening," Gunnar confirmed, steepling his fingers on the table. "Is there a point tuh this, sister?"

"Dragons are not all bad. You see that around you right now, Gunnar. The dragons here aren't tearing down houses; they aren't setting things on fire; they aren't chasing vikings around with bloodlust in their eyes. The vikings aren't chopping dragons' heads off; they aren't shouting for fortifications and more weapons; they aren't screaming in fury and vengeance. Here, in Berk, there is peace between dragons and vikings. If it can happen here, then it can happen for Stein, too."

Beata took a breath and finished, "I have hope that the dragons can stop their attack on Stein, but only if the people there give the dragons a reason to trust them. If they see that Stein is not a threat but also not a community to be taken advantage of, then the dragons will stop raiding it. They will respect the village and stay away, or they may find it beneficial to live alongside you, as it is here."

Gunnar scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "So what I hear is that you want Stein tuh roll over and surrender tuh the dragons. How does that help us?"

"If Stein takes the first step tuh ending the bloodshed, the dragons should follow."

"The people of Stein won't like this idea. They've lost loved ones tuh the beasts."

Beata tilted her head. "And you don't think that the dragons have loved ones, either? Mothers can be very protective of their young, everyone knows that. If you try tuh attack their nest, many dragons will flock tuh stop you. If ya kill a mother, a father, or a dragonet, who is tuh say that they don't feel the pain of loss?"

"Always so sympathetic tuh them, aren't ya?" Gunnar sighed and shook his head. "No wonder you like this place so much. Stein won't believe you, that's for sure. They'll want blood."

"And I'm not giving it tuh them." Beata's blue eyes were steel. "If you can't think of a way tuh convince them that I'm right, then I cannot help you. I will not go there tuh be undermined and disrespected." Her gaze met Gunnar's hard brown eyes. Gunnar wasn't going to give up on taking his sister back, and Beata wasn't willing to surrender to his will to destroy the creatures she cared so dearly about. They were both standing their ground, waiting for the other to make their next move in the argument.

Marcus, who had been watching the conversation, finally spoke. "Is it true that you can talk to dragons, Beata?" The question brought piercing blue eyes on him, but he kept his gaze. "I heard rumors about it while I was in Stein. It's the reason you left, right?"

"I didn't have a choice but tuh leave; I no longer belonged there, according tuh the villagers." Beata's eyes narrowed. "And while we're on the subject, how did you come to be of Stein? I don't recall your face at all."

Finding it only fair, Marcus nodded. "True, I was not born in Stein. I washed up onto its shores about four years ago. I was from a land somewhere in this area, where dragons were a real problem for our village. I managed to study the beasts and learn their weaknesses, so I decided to keep up with my work and try to educate people about the flaws in dragons to help him fend off their local pests. One such trip to the nearest isles ended rather badly. I was caught by a sea dragon and left with only a barrel to cling onto. Next thing I knew, I found shore on Stein. The people were wary at first, but when I gave them advice about their dragon problem, they came to respect my knowledge."

Beata glowered at him. "So you also kill dragons," she stated.

"I had to. They were threatening my home when they came. I only killed out of self-defense." Marcus's hazel eyes became almost thoughtful. "I actually admire the dragons greatly. They're such fascinating creatures, which is why I study them." His gaze focused on the present once more. "Now, answer me honestly: did you really talk to that dragon that day you left? Gunnar mentioned it once, but he didn't explain it."

"It was a family matter," the Stein chief grunted. "And I didn't think it important."

"But it is," Marcus insisted, glancing his leader sidelong. He directed his attention to the maiden once more. "If you can actually _speak_ with the dragons, then you can be the _ambassador_ for Stein! Think about it: you talk to the dragons on _your_ _own_ terms; you convince them that not all humans are bad; because they _understand_ you and have some form a relation to you, they will trust you. Your talk with them would probably be more effective than the village just stopping its counterattacks. If we just ceased fighting, the dragons would see an opening and kill us all. If we stopped for a peace talk, then they will see that we mean no harm and might stop raiding us."

Beata frowned at this idea. "It makes sense, and it does avoid bloodshed..." Honestly, it was a plan that she was thinking of herself. She had wanted Gunnar to agree with her trying to teach the people not to fear dragons, and this made it simpler with just going to the source of the problem. If her dreams were any indicator, she was tied to the Stein nest somehow, if not only by the Grand Queen. Perhaps she would be able to help her old home after all...

"Please," Marcus pressed, "we need your help." He gave Gunnar a pointed look. "Isn't that right, chief?"

The scarred viking rolled his eyes. "I've been saying that from the start, but she's been so stubborn."

"I learned from the best," Beata retorted. She smirked at Gunnar's glare, which eventually diminished and allowed a short laugh to break his angry expression.

"Perhaps you did. Yes, we need your help, and I need you tuh come back with us." Brown eyes pleaded. "Will you go tuh Stein if I can convince the people tuh let you talk tuh the dragons?"

Beata crossed her arms and frowned in thought. She let her brother wait for a long moment before she said, "I have three conditions, and if you accept them, I will go."

Sighing, Gunnar asked, "What are they?"

"First, Archer is coming with me. Don't give me that look. It will help prove that peace can be reached, and it will allow the dragons in Stein tuh trust me." She waited as Gunnar looked to Marcus, who nodded encouragement. Seeing his adviser agree, the chief sighed and bobbed his head. Also nodding, Beata continued. "Second, while I am there, no one in Stein is allowed tuh be outside when there are dragons about. I don't want anyone tuh get hurt by the dragons, and I don't want the dragons spooked by the people trying tuh kill them."

"That'll be easier than you think," Marcus laughed. "The people take cover when they can."

Beata gave the blonde viking a small smile before stating her third condition. "Finally, Stein has tuh accept my help on their own. If they don't want what I am offering, then Archer will take me back tuh Berk, where I am going to stay indefinitely. I will be going back here after the peace is settled, too, so don't try tuh convince me tuh stay in Stein. This place is my real home, and I don't intend tuh leave it for long." The Valkyrie lifted her chin and challenged Gunnar's scowl. "So, Chief Gunnar, what do ya day tuh these terms?"

The viking watched his sister's determined stare for a long moment before grunting and placing his hands on the table. "You'd better be right about this, Beata," he said, low. "I don't want harm tuh come to my people, but if you're confident that you can stop this war with words, so be it. However," his eyes narrowed as he stood from his seat, "if it doesn't work, then I have no choice but to act as vikings always act with dangerous dragons. Is that understood?"

"Yes, but I will not be one of the vikings who kill them." Beata, too, stood and thrust out her hand. "So, are we in agreement?" she prompted.

Gunnar eyed the hand briefly before giving a pleased grin and taking it. "We're agreed."

"Great!" Marcus said with a smile. "Once the ship is ready, we'll leave for Stein. Think you'll be ready by then, Beata?"

"I should be," she replied with a nod.

"Good," Gunnar said. "We don't have time tuh waste. Hopefully it hasn't gotten too rough for Birger without us." Beata nodded in agreement, then glanced to the door.

"I should probably be heading back," she mused aloud. "Archer needs tuh rest before the journey, and Toothless is going tuh be here soon if I don't leave now."

"Toothless? Ya mean that black dragon?" Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Is he really that fond of you?"

Beata shrugged. "He's the one who saved my life, so I suppose he feels like he has tuh watch out for me. And he's one of my closest friends, so that could be it, too." Putting on her gloves again, the maiden added, "And I don't want Eret to freeze outside. Best tuh let him in now."

"Very well," Gunnar chuckled. He watched as she walked to the exit. "See you soon, sister."

"Good night, both of you. Don't be too harsh on your host now." The Valkyrie smiled at her brother and his escort before she opened the door and peered outside. It hadn't snowed, which was good, but there was frost in several places. Beata found Eret sitting on a stump used for chopping firewood, Archer curled about him in an attempt to shield him from the wind. The wind carried her scent to the Nadder, who suddenly stood and dashed over to greet her rider. Eret noticed the maiden and came over as well.

"Heading back?" he asked.

Beata nodded. "Yup. Sorted things out with Gunnar, and I've decided tuh help him with his mission." When Archer tilted her head, the young woman scratched the reptile's chin. "Don't worry, girl. You're going with me for company and help. I'm going tuh need someone tuh vouch for me when I go talk tuh the alpha of the nest there."

At that Eret's mouth dropped. "Ya can't be serious?" he hissed. "Your brother wants you tuh face a colony of dragons, _alone_?"

"He doesn't want me tuh do that, but that's what I asked." As her friend tried to find words of protest, she smiled and said, "It was either that or I shoot the dragons alongside the people of Stein." That made Eret's mouth close. He eyed Beata for a moment before sighing.

"Well, if that's what ya want...Good luck."

"Thanks, but I think you should wish me luck on explaining this tuh Hiccup and the others." Beata glanced in the direction of the hill where the chief's house sat. "I'm not sure how they'll handle this." She stared off toward the mountains beyond the village, wondering if she had made the right decision. Her gaze was brought back when Eret rested a hand on her shoulder. He had the confident, lazy grin on his face.

"I believe in ya, Beata. Trust your judgment; it's been working well so far, hasn't it?"

With that the maiden laughed. "Reasonably so." She laid a hand to her left side and nodded. "I'll keep an ear out for my gut, thanks."

"Good. Now go on, get back tuh the Haddock's house. I don't want Toothless tuh come jumping on this roof looking for ya!"

The two laughed. "Right," Beata agreed. She let her hand shift to rest on Archer's shoulder. "Good night, Eret."

"And good night tuh you, Beata, Archer. See ya in the morning." The two Berkians parted, and the purple dragonet followed after her rider. During their walk back to the Haddock House, Beata glanced up at the moon, which was bright enough to light the way, washing the world in a silver sheen. The breaths of both dragon and maiden were visible in the night air, and Beata sighed.

"Let's hope that Blomgren was right," she whispered to herself.

* * *

**Yay, long chapter! Sorry (again) that it took so long to post! Hope that you enjoyed it (and hopefully it was worth the wait ^^"). Let me know what you think, please!**

**I would like to post sooner next time, but the quarter system can be a meanie sometimes...Maybe Thanksgiving break will give me a chance to post a chapter :D Keep your fingers crossed!**

**Until next time! Stay wonderful, readers!**

**~RedWolf210**


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